12825 
'.^8856 


SCHATOLOGY 


A  Work  on  Revelaflon 


^•P' 


^- 


•■■Babylonian  Parlod    84  Years 
B^^Paralan  Period    234  Years 
C^^Creak  and  Syrian  Period    269  Years 


ESCHATOLOGY 


A  WORK  ON  REVELATION 

Comprising  the  Seven 

Church  Ages 


CONTENTS 

1 .  EPHESUS-First  Church  Age 

2.  SMYRNA-  Second  Church  Age 

3.  PERGAMOS  -  Third  Church  Age 

4.  THYATIRA-Fourth  Church  Age 

5.  SARDIS     Fifth  Church  Age 

6.  PHILADELPHIA-Sixth  Church  Age 

7.  LAODlCEA^Seventh  Church  Age 


COPYRIGHT,  NOVEMBER,   1908 
BY 
EDWIN    J.    WOOLLARD 


PREFACE 

The  difficulty  in  understanding  this  book  does  not  con- 
sist in  its  being  a  real  Book  of  Mysteries.  It  does  not 
require  a  more  complete  unction  of  divine  knowledge  to 
those  who  may  undertake  the  task  of  searching  out  the 
mysteries  contained  in  the  book  than  it  required  of  those 
of  the  past  who,  also,  did  their  work  through  the  inspira- 
tion of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

In  fact,  the  word  Revelation — which  is  an  English 
word — when  fully  interpreted,  means  to  reveal. 

The  books  of  Daniel  and  Revelation  are  both  classed  as 
Apocryphal  Books,  and  the  word  apocryphal  when  inter- 
preted means  things  hidden  or  secret. 

The  office  or  duty  of  Revelation  would  then  be  to  per- 
form or  reveal  the  things  that  did  or  would  transpire  in  the 
different  ages  of  the  world's  history. 

The  word  then  has  a  broader  significance  and  would  in- 
clude the  history  of  the  world  from  the  creation  down  unto 
the  end. 

Trouble  again  arises  from  the  fact  that  in  many  instances, 
those  who  have  written  works  on  Revelation  have,  whether 
they  were  conscious  of  it  or  not,  tried  to  indoctrinate  into 
the  ones  who  might  study  their  works  that  they  were  pe- 
culiarly endowed  with  God-given  superiority  over  all 
others ;  that  in  the  understanding  of  these  things  it  came 
and  only  came  to  those  who  have  received  a  special  revela- 
tion. 


i  0^^990 


Then,  too,  the  works  on  Revelation  have  been  in  their 
nature  only  explanatory  works,  which  only  state  their  per- 
sonal opinion  in  regard  to  those  things.  But  the  purpose 
of  this  work  is  to  search  out,  to  reveal,  the  secret  or  hid- 
den things  pertaining  to  all  of  the  important  events  that 
have  and  are  yet  to  transpire  of  the  history  of  the  world. 

This  important  feature  about  the  work  would  make  it  a 
real  text  book,  containing  a  systematized  plan  of  study  and 
work.  It  is  also  admitted  by  all  Bible  students  that  the 
Seven  Letters,  which  Our  Lord  requested  John  to  write, 
were  to  the  Seven  Churches  in  Asia  ]\Iinor,  each  having  re- 
spectfully its  own  peculiar  name,  and  means  Church  Age, 
and  there  were  Seven  Church  Ages.  And  in  the  Seven 
Messages  is  revealed  what  should  transpire  during  all  of  the 
Seven  Church  Ages,  including  the  history  of  the  whole 
world. 

In  referring  to  the  diagram  one  will  see  the  difference  in 
this  one  and  the  diagrams  in  use  by  others  in  their  works, 
concerning  the  subject  of  Revelation. 

These  Seven  Divisions  or  Church  Ages,  found  in  this 
diagram,  is  the  one  important  feature  of  this  work.  This 
discoverv,  or  inspiration  is  responsible  for  this  undertak- 
ing. Where  a  diagram  is  used  in  other  works  it  will  be 
found  that  they  begin  with  the  Christian  Era,  placing  with- 
in the  Philadelphia  Age  the  entire  Seven  Church  Ages, 
leaving  out  the  Millenium,  or  Seventh  Church  Age.  For 
this  very  reason  it  will  also  be  understood  they  have  led  all 
of  us  into  confusion. 

In  this  work  the  diagram  begins  with  Creation,  and 
makes  the  Seven  Divisions,  or  Ages  complete,  naming  each 
respectively  and  including  the  ]\Iillenium.  or  Seventh 
Church  Age. 

In  compiling  this  diagram  and  the  work  it  reveals  it  was 
found  to  he  the  onlv  correct  source  of  definite  knowledge 


by  which  to  unravel  the  veil  of  mystery  contained  in  all  the 
books  of  the  Bible. 

This  work,  as  has  been  stated,  is  a  Text  Book,  and  con- 
tains a  synopsis  of  all  the  important  events,  connecting 
them  together,  link  by  link,  forming  a  completed  chain  of 
evidences ;  as  fast  as  one  Church  Age  passes  out  and  an- 
other is  ushered  in,  its  particular  events  are  chronologically 
associated  to  show  their  relation  to  each  other  in  the  Seven 
Church  Ages. 

The  Books  of  Revelation,  or  the  mysteries  contained  in 
it,  are  completely  revealed  to  us.  Our  Lord,  through  John, 
repeatedly  gives  this  admonition : 

"He  that  readeth.  let  him  understand." 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2008  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/eschatologyworkoOOwool 


FIRST  CHURCH  AGE 

EPHESUSO 

ANTEDILUVIAN  PERIOD 


Duration,   1856  Years 


*  Pure. 


REVELATION 

The  Greek  word,  Apocrypha,  means  secret,  or  hidden, 
and  would  imply  mystery. 

Like  the  Book  of  Daniel  in  its  relation  to  the  Old 
Testament  scriptures,  so  the  Book  of  Revelation  is  to 
the  New  Testament  scriptures. 

These  two  books  contain  some  very  interesting  his- 
tory of  events  surrounded  with  mystery. 

In  Revelation,  Chapter  I,  John  was  requested  by  Our 
Lord  to  write  to  the  Seven  Churches  in  Asia  Minor. 

It  is  not  a  general  opinion  that  John  was  to  write  to 
a  few  churches  that  might  have  existed  in  Asia  Minor 
and  Europe  at  that  time,  because  he  could  have  visited 
them  in  person  and  delivered  the  letters.  It  is  under- 
stood that  Asia  Minor  was  the  center  or  cradle  of  all 
early  religious  thought  and  expression  and  this  has 
grown  through  the  ages  and  extended  to  every  nation. 
Not  only  had  the  Christ  religion  its  origin  there,  but  the 
Pagan  and  Mohammedan  religions  also  came  from  that 
source. 

Belief  is  established  that  the  Seven  Churches  men- 
tioned in  Revelation,  2nd  and  3rd  chapters,  has  refer- 
ence to  the  Seven  Periods,  or  Ages,  and  for  convenience 
let  them  be  called  Church  Ages. 

The  figure  7  with  the  Jews  was  a  complete  number, 
and  signified  all  or  the  whole — completeness. 

In  the  first  chapter  of  Revelation  it  is  Christ,  Our 
Lord,  who  is  talking  to  John.    He  says,  "I  am  Alpha  and 


10  ESCHATOLOGY. 

Omega"    (these  are  first  and  last  letters  in  the  Greek 
alphabet),  meaning  the  beginning  and  the  end. 

In  the  19th  verse  Christ  tells  John  to  "write  the  things 
which  thou  hast  seen,"  past  tense,  meaning  the  events 
that  had  passed  since  Creation  until  the  time  when  John 
was  writing,  "and  of  the  things  which  are,"  present 
tense,  events  transpiring  during  the  period  in  which 
John  was  Hving  (A.  D.  96),  "and  of  the  things  which 
shall  be  hereafter,"  future  tense,  the  events  which  were 
to  occur  after  that  time. 

We  can  imagine  that  John  saw,  or  was  made  to  see, 
in  one  great  panoramic  view  all  of  the  important  events 
that  occurred  and  are  to  occur  in  all  of  these  seven 
church  ages,  though  he  writes  in  the  present  tense,  as  if 
they  were  just  transpiring. 

Verses  12  to  17  relate  John's  vision  of  seven  golden 
candle-sticks  and  seven  stars,  and  the  Lord  in  the  midst 
of  the  seven  golden  candlesticks.  Verse  20  states  that 
the  candlesticks  represent  the  seven  Church  Ages,  and 
the  seven  stars  the  angels  who  were  to  be  messengers  to 
the  Church  Ages,  each  one  of  the  angels  to  carry  a  mes- 
sage to  each  of  the  seven  ages. 

The  fourth  chapter  of  Revelation  shows  the  authority 
of  God,  the  four  beasts  and  twenty-four  elders  being 
symbols  which  represent  God's  supreme  authority  over 
both  Heaven  and  Earth.  An  illustration  or  figure  of 
this  is  the  manner  of  the  Jewish  Supreme  Tribunal.  Their 
higher  court  consisted  of  elders  or  ex-priests,  twenty-four 
in  number,  beside  which  there  were  one  high  priest  and 
three  vice-priests  or  presidents.  (These  are  typified  by 
the  four  beasts  and  the  twenty-four  elders  around  the 
throne  of  God.)  In  this  high  court  or  tribunal  of  the 
Jews  all  crimes  were  tried,  and  here  our  Lord  himself 


THE   FIRST   CHURCH    AGE.  H 

was  arraigned.  The  Sanhedrim,  or  legislative  body,  con. 
sisted  of  seventy-two  members,  six  representatives  com- 
ing from  each  of  the  tv^elve  tribes  of  Israel.  This  higher 
Jewish  tribunal  is  a  type  of  the  Great  Tribunal  of  God, 
who  has  supreme  authority  over  the  whole  universe. 

The  fifth  chapter  of  Revelation  tells  of  the  book  with 
the  seven  seals.  This  book  contains  all  the  historical 
events  that  have  transpired  during  the  seven  church 
ages,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end.  These  are  the  mes- 
sages that  the  seven  angels  were  to  deliver  to  the  seven 
ages.  But  there  was  not  any  one  who  could  open  the 
seals  of  the  book  except  the  Lamb  of  the  Tribe  of  Judah, 
which  is  Christ  the  Lord.  All  power  now  had  been 
given  unto  Christ  by  the  Father,  because  of  the  Atone- 
ment made  for  the  sins  of  the  world  and  for  its  redemp- 
tion. The  seals  of  this  book  are  opened  as  soon  as  one 
age  expires  and  a  new  age  is  ushered  in.  It  is  time  that 
will  reveal  the  hidden  mysteries  contained  in  the  seven 
church  ages,  from  the  beginning  of  creation  until  the 
consummation  or  the  end. 

LETTER  TO  THE  FIRST  CHURCH   AGE. 

Rev.  II,  1,7,  is  the  letter  to  the  First  Church  Age,  or  the 
Church  at  Ephesus,  the  word  Ephesus  itself  meaning  First. 
This  letter  contains  the  first  message,  and  the  age  is  a  period 
of  1856  years. 

One  noticeable  feature  of  these  letters  is  the  diction, 
being  so  strangely  worded  as  to  apply  to  particular 
events  of  each  age  as  they  transpire. 

In  the  first  letter  to  Ephesus  God  commends  the  right- 
eous ones  for  their  labor  performed,  "and  thou  hast  not 
fainted,"  but  says  also,  "I  have  somewhat  against  thee. 
Thou  hast  departed  from  thy  first  love." 


12  ESCHATOLOGY. 

They  had  partaken  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  knowledge 
of  Good  and  Evil.  They  had  fallen.  They  are  now  ad- 
monished to  repent,  or  else  their  Church  Age  would  be 
destroyed.    "And  I  will  remove  the  candlestick." 

OPENING  THE  FIRST  SEAL. 

Rev.  VI,  1-2,  is  an  account  of  the  opening  of  the  First 
Seal  by  the  Lamb,  which  is  Christ.  In  verse  2  John  "saw 
a  white  horse  and  his  rider.  He  had  a  bow  in  his  hand 
and  He  went  forth  conquering  and  to  conquer."  This  is 
a  fitting  symbol  of  the  First  Age.  The  white  horse  de- 
notes purity — the  crowned  Rider  was  Christ  our  Lord, 
"going  forth  conquering  and  to  conquer." 

THE  FIRST  TRUMPET  SOUNDS. 

Rev.  VIII,  7.  This  verse  relates  the  first  trumpet  sound, 
which  was  the  first  of  the  seven  angels  who  were  to 
carry  the  messages  to  the  seven  churches.  .And  John 
"saw  hail  mingled  with  fire  and  flood,  and  they  were 
cast  upon  the  earth;  and  a  third  part  of  the  trees 
were  burned  up  and  all  green  grass  burned  up  and  de- 
stroyed." "And  I  will  remove  thy  candlestick."  For  with 
the  deluge  God  destroyed  all  the  people,  except  Noah  and 
his  family  of  eight  persons,  who  were  saved  in  the  ark.  (Gen. 
VI,  9-22.) 

John  says  one-third  of  the  trees  were  burned  up  or  de- 
stroyed, and  green  grass  was  completely  destroyed — by  the 
deluge. 

"When  the  waters  were  beginning  to  decrease,  Noah 
first  sent  out  a  raven,  which  went  to  and  fro  daily." 

"Also  he  sent  out  a  dove  and  she  found  no  rest  for 
the  soles  of  her  feet." 

"Then  Noah  again  sent  out  a  dove,  and  this  time  she 
returned  with  an  olive  ])ranch  in  her  beak."  (Gen.  VIII, 
1-12.) 


THE    FIRST    CHURCH    AGE.  13 

This  would  indicate  that  not  all  vegetation  was  de- 
stroyed, the  olive  trees  being  yet  alive. 

\Ye  can  understand  now  that  John  was  not  describing 
this  as  a  mere  figure  of  something  else,  but  that  it  did 
actually  transpire. 

"A  third  part  of  the  trees  and  all  green  grass  were  de- 
stroyed." "I  will  remove  thy  candlestick  out  of  its 
place,  except  thou  repent." 

Gen.  I  gives  a  full  account  of  the  Creation. 

Gen.  II-III,  The  Fall  of  Man,  and  in  the  15th  verse  of 
Chapter  III  the  Promise. 

See  Gen.  XII,  1-8,  and  in  connection  with  it  Rev. 
II,  4-5. 

:\Iatt.  XXVII :  The  Crucifixion  of  Christ. 

Mark  XV:  Christ  shall  bruise  the  serpent's  head, 
and  the  serpent  shall  bruise  His  heel. 

Luke  XXIII:    The  crucifixion  of  Christ. 

Luke   III :     Genealogy  of  Christ. 

THE  ALTAR  REPRESENTS  THE  CHURCH. 

Gen.  IV,  3-8 :    The  Altar  of  Sacrifice. 

Gen.  VIII,  15-22:    Noah  after  the  Deluge. 

Gen.  XXVIII :    Jacob  on  his  way  to  Padanaram. 

Gen.  XIV,  17-24:  Abraham  and  Melchizedek,  King  of 
Salem. 

Exodus  XXX,  1-10:    The  Altar  Constructed. 

Exodus  XXVI,  XXVII :     Building  of  the  Tabernacle. 

I  Kings  V^I,  VII :  Solomon  Building  the  Temple. 
Christ  Offers  Himself  as  a  Sacrifice. 

Gen.  IV,  3-4:     Abel  Offering  a  Sacrifice. 

Num.  XXI,  4-9 :    The  Brazen  Serpent. 

John  III,  14-15:     Christ  Referring  to  Himself. 

Luke  XXIII:     The  Crucifixion  of  Christ. 

Christ's  priestly  office. 
Gen.  XIV,  18-24:     Melchizedek  and  Abraham. 
Heb.  V,  X:     Christ's  Priesthood. 


14  ESCHATOIvOGY. 

CHRIST  AS  KING. 

Gen.  XVII,  1-22:    Isaac  Promised.  '    . 

Matt.  I,  1-18:     Genealogy  of  Christ. 

II  Sam.  VII,  1-17:  David's  Kingdom  Type  of  Christ. 

Isaiah  IX,  1-12:     Christ's  Birth  and  Kingdom. 

Micah  V,  2-3 :  In  Bethlehem  of  Judea. 

Matt.  I,  18-25:    Christ's  Birth. 

Luke  II,  27-33 :    Nature  of  Christ's  Kingdom. 

Gen.  V:  Genealogy  of  the  Righteous  Ones  of  the 
Antediluvian  Age. 

Jude  14th  verse :  Enoch  appearing  in  the  last  days,  at  the 
Second  Coming  of  Christ,  with  ten  thousand  Saints  of 
Ephesus,  the  First  Church  Age. 

WICKEDNESS  OE  THE  EIRST  CHURCH   AGE. 

Gen.  VI:     Wicked  Destroyed  by  Deluge. 
Rev.  II,  6 :    Deeds  of  the  Nicolaitanes. 
Gen.  XIX,  1-12 :    Deeds  of  the  Nicolaitanes.  • 
Lev.  XVIII,  21-30:    Deeds  of  the  Nicolaitanes. 
Rev.  II,  5 :  "Behold  I  will  remove  thy  candlestick  out 
of  his  place,  except  thou  repent." 

Rev.  XVI,  1-2 :    The  First  Vial  of  Wrath  Poured  Out. 


END    OF    THE    EIRST    CHURCH    AGE. 


SECOND  CHURCH  AGE 

SMYRNAO 

MELCHEZIDEC  PERIOD 


Duration,  428  Years 


*  Smyrna  means  myrrh  or  sweet-smelling  savor — bloody. 


SECOND  CHURCH  AGE 

This  period  represents  Innocency  of  Favor  with  God. 

LETTER  TO  THE  SECOND  CHURCH  AGE. 

Rev.  II,  8-11,  gives  the  letter  to  the  Second  Church  Age. 
In  verse  9  God  says,  "I  know  thy  works,  tribulations  and 
poverty,  but  thou  art  rich."  By  the  use  of  the  word  pov- 
erty, God  means  that  there  were  in  this  age  only  a  few  of 
the  righteous.  The  earth  was  just  beginning  to  be  re- 
populated  after  the  deluge,  and  the  number  of  inhabitants 
was  as  yet  small. 

But  He  says,  "Thou  art  rich."  Gen.  XIII,  1-4:  Abraham 
was  rich.  Job  I,  1-3,  and  Rev.  II,  10,  God  says  to  Abra- 
ham, "Fear  none  of  these  things  which  thou  shalt  suffer,  for 
ye  shall  have  tribulation  ten  days."  (A  prophetical  day 
constitutes  a  3'ear.) 

Gen.  XII,  10-20 :  Abraham  went  down  into  Egypt  when 
he  first  came  to  Canaan,  for  there  was  a  famine  in  Canaan 
at  that  time,  and  he  remained  in  Canaan  ten  years. 

OPENING  THE  SECOND  SEAL. 

Rev,  VI,  3-4.  This  symbol  is  very  emblematic  of  the  his- 
tory or  important  events  that  transpired  in  the  Second 
Church  Age. 

The  Red  Horse  and  the  Rider  refer  to  Christ  our  Lord, 
and  the  manner  in  which  He  is  conqueror  in  this  age. 

THE  SECOND  TRUMPET  SOUNDS. 

Rev.  VIII,  8-9.  In  the  eighth  chapter  of  Revelation  we 
are  told  of  the  sound  of  the  second  trumpet.  Verses  8 
and  9  say,  "And  there  were  great  mountains  burning  with 
fire,  and  cast  into  the  sea." 


18  ESCHATOIXiGY. 

Gen.  X,  25:  To  Eber  were  born  two  sons.  The  name 
of  one  was  Peleg,  which  means  to  divide.  For  in  his  day 
the  earth  was  divided.  This  event  is  supposed  to  have  oc- 
curred about  one  hundred  years  after  the  deluge.  Geolo- 
gists inform  us  of  very  great  upheavals  about  this  period  of 
time  and  that  of  the  deluge,  which  very  greatly  changed  the 
material  lines  of  the  continents. 

A  very  interesting  bit  of  history  is  obtained  from  the 
Mormon  Bible,  concerning  the  time  when  America  was  first 
peopled,  though  the  truth  of  the  story  is  not  demonstrated. 
But  it  is  stated  by  scientific  investigators  of  ethnology  that 
the  Aborigines  of  the  American  continents,  the  Mound 
Builders  and  Cliff  Dwellers,  were  much  more  civilized  peo- 
ple than  those  who  were  found  here  in  1492  by  the  Span- 
iards under  Columbus. 

Rev.  VIII,  9  states  that  a  third  of  the  creatures  which  had 
life  in  the  sea  died,  and  a  third  part  of  the  ships  were  de- 
stroyed. 

Those  who  are  acquainted  with  the  ancient  history  of 
the  Ninevites  and  Babylonians  know  that  they  soon  learned 
the  art  of  ship  building.  They  built  war  vessels,  small  and 
crude,  of  course,  but  answering  as  a  navy  in  carrying  on 
their  expeditions  in  war. 

This  is  in  the  age  of  the  "Second  Trumpet-Sound,"  and  it 
is  a  very  fitting  emblem  of  the  period. 

Some  Bible  students  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  deluge 
was  only  a  partial  one,  and  that  it  did  not  cover  the  whole 
surface  of  the  earth.  Our  purpose,  however,  does  not  con- 
cern itself  with  a  discussion  of  these  points  in  dispute.  The 
main  idea  is  to  get  a  knowledge  of  these  important  events, 
so  that  it  can  be  determined  in  what  Church  Age  or  period 
of  time  they  transpired. 

In  Genesis,  Chapter  X,  we  learn  of  the  Three  Great 
Branches  of  the  Human  Family. 


THE  SECOND   CHURCH   AGE.  19 

This  event  is  of  an  importance  only  second  to  that  of 
the  Creation.  For  if  the  deluge  was  an  universal  one,  we 
owe  to  this  event  the  repopulation  of  the  earth. 

In  this  peculiar  geographical  location,  as  in  the  time  of  the 
Creation,  we  find  the  Cradle  of  the  Human  Family,  and 
from  this  great  center  the  different  nations  of  the  earth 
have  been  established.  These  nations  have  not  been  born  in 
a  day,  or  a  month,  or  a  year,  for  the  nucleus  or  beginning 
was  very  small.  First  there  were  families,  then  clans  or 
tribes,  and  lastly  nations.  The  progress  was  naturally 
slow,  and  it  required  several  centuries  to  populate  a  nation. 
At  the  time  of  the  division,  there  were  only  eight  persons, 
or  we  might  say,  three  families,  and  from  this  nucleus  the 
earth  was  re-populated.  Noah  and  his  three  sons  were  the 
representative  heads.  And  from  the  three  sons,  Shem,  Ham 
and  Japheth,  the  countries  and  the  nations  of  people  are 
respectively  named. 

Shem — the  meaning  of  the  word  is  "yellow" — is  the  rep- 
resentative of  the  Semitic  branch  of  the  human  family.  The 
original  nations  of  this  branch  were  the  early  Ninevites, 
Assyrians,  Babylonians,  Armenians,  Hebrews,  Phoenicians 
and  Arabs. 

Ham — the  meaning  of  the  word  is  "black."  The  original 
tribes  of  the  Hamitic  branch  were  the  Africans,  the  earl> 
Egyptians  and  the  Libyans. 

Japheth,  meaning  "white,"  is  the  representative  of  the 
Aryan  or  Caucasian  branch  of  the  human  family. 

The  early  Medes  and  Persians,  the  Indo-Europeans,  first 
settled  in  Asia  Minor.  But  the  Greeks,  the  Romans,  the 
Russians,  the  Slavs,  the  Germans  and  the  Anglo-Saxon  or 
English  peoples,  have  populated  Europe  and  the  isles  of 
the  sea. 

In  Genesis  X,  2,  it  is  related  that  "Ashur,  son  of  Shem, 
builded  Nineveh,"  which  later  on  become  the  capital  of 
Assvria.     At  this  time  these  were  small  tribal  cities. 


20  ESCHATOIvOGY. 

In  verses  9  and  10  it  is  told  that  Nimrod,  son  of  Cush, 
the  mighty  hunter  before  the  Lord,  builded  Babel.  The 
beginning  of  his  kingdom  was  about  one  hundred  years 
after  the  deluge.  At  the  building  of  the  tower  of  Babel 
occurred  the  confusion  of  tongues.  (Gen.  XI,  1-9.)  Babel 
later  on  became  the  seat  of  government  in  Chaldea,  and  the 
name  was  changed  to  that  of  Babylon.  In  the  remote  or 
ancient  history  Nimrod's  name  is  Hammurabi,  and  he  was 
the  first  king  of  Babel. 

In  excavating  the  ruins  of  these  ancient  cities,  which  has 
been  done  in  recent  years,  exploring  parties  have  found  a 
great  many  interesting  records  of  these  places  and  these 
people.  Among  other  explorers  is  Prof.  Hilpricht  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania,  who  found  what  is  supposed 
to  be  the  temple  of  Bel  at  Nipur,  the  name  given  to  it  now. 
And  it  is  claimed  that  150,000  tablets  have  been  discovered 
made  of  sun-dried  clay,  and  upon  which  are  stamped  uni- 
form characters,  showing  the  system  of  writing  then  in 
use.  Among  the  many  historical  records  upon  these  tablets 
is  an  account  of  the  deluge.  There  is  also  a  code  of  laws 
similar  to  the  Mosaic  law.  This  is  supposed  to  have  been 
written  by  Hammurabi,  the  first  king  of  Babel. 

The  call  of  Abraham  into  Canaan  (Gen.  XII)  is  another 
very  important  event  which  transpired  in  the  Second  Church 
Age.  Abraham  was  born  1996  B.  C,  and  was  seventy-five 
years  old  when  he  went  into  Canaan.  The  Lord  covenanted 
with  him  and  told  him  that  He  would  make  of  him  and 
his  seed  a  great  nation.  "And  in  thee  shall  all  the  nations 
of  the  earth  be  blessed." 

"And  Abraham  by  faith  believed  God,  and  it  was  reputed 
unto  him  for  righteousness."  (Heb.  XI,  8-19.) 

The  Lord  again  covenants  with  Abraham  (Gen.  XVII, 
1-19)  and  tells  him  that  a  son  shall  be  born  unto  him  in 
his  old  age.     This  son,   Isaac,   is   a  type  of  Christ,   and 


THE)  SECOND  CHURCH   AGE.  21 

through  Isaac  a  great  nation  is  established.  (II  Sam.  VII, 
1-17;  Matt.  I,  1-17). 

Like  the  other  nations  around  her,  Israel  had  her  patri- 
archal or  tribal  beginnings.  Later  on  in  the  course  of 
events  came  David,  who  was  king  over  Israel,  and  Solomon 
his  son,  whose  kingdom  was  a  type  of  Christ.  These  are 
connecting  links  in  the  development  of  Israel  as  a  nation. 

In  the  days  of  Kings  David  and  Solomon  the  nation  of 
Israel  was,  in  its  religious,  social  and  commercial  status, 
superior  to  any  of  the  nations  about  her.  God  had  indeed 
fulfilled  his  part  of  the  covenant  that  he  made  with  Abra- 
ham. 

And  Israel  become  a  great  nation. 

Rev.  XVI,  3 :    The  Second  Vial  of  Wrath. 


END  OE  THE  SECOND   CHURCH    AGE. 


THIRD  CHURCH  AGE 

PERGAMOSO 

PATRIARCHAL  PERIOD 


Duration,  470  Years 


*  Height   of   elevation — corrupt. 


THIRD  CHURCH  AGE 

The  Third  Church  Age  began  when  Abraham  went  down 
into  Canaan,  at  the  age  of  75  years.  He  left  Chaldea  in 
1921  B.  C.  (Gen.  XII  chap.) 

LI^TTEIR   TO    the;   THIRD   CHURCH    AGE). 

Rev.  II,  12-17.  Here  the  third  church  letter  is  given,  which 
represents  the  third  angel  with  his  message.  In  verse 
13  the  Lord  says,  "I  know  thy  works  and,  where  thou 
dwellest  even  Satan's  seat  is."  Satan's  seat  means  author- 
ity, where  wickedness  abounds  and  controls.  This  cer- 
tainly refers  to  the  kingdom  of  Egypt. 

The  Hebrews  were  to  be  sojourners  in  Canaan  and  in 
Egypt  for  a  total  period  of  430  years. 

Their  sojourn  is  referred  to  in  Gen.  XV,  13;  Gal.  Ill, 
16,  17. 

Abraham  went  into  Canaan  in  1921  B.  C,  and  Joseph 
was  sold  into  Egypt  in  1729  B.  C.  A  few  years  later  the 
families  of  Israel  found  refuge  in  Egypt  (about  1689  B. 
C.))  The  Exodus  occurred  in  1491  B.  C.  The  families 
of  Israel,  or  'Patriarchs,  were  sojourners  in  Canaan  232 
years  and  were  in  bondage  in  Egypt  198  years,  making  a 
total  of  430  years. 

It  should  be  noted  that  God's  purpose  in  leading  his  peo- 
ple, the  Israelites,  into  Egypt  just  at  this  time  was  that  they 
might  do  missionary  work  among  the  Egyptians. 

And  to  every  nation  that  has  had  Israel  captive  or  a  tri- 
butary to  itself,  or  to  whatever  nations  God  has  led  them 


26  ESCHATOLOGY. 

throughout  the  earth,  the  IsraeHtes  have  been  missionaries. 
No  wonder  that  God  told  Abraham  that  through  him  all 
nations  of  the  earth  should  be  blessed. 

It  is  said  that  nothing  so  impresses  the  traveler  in  Egypt 
as  the  extreme  antiquity  of  the  country.  The  beginning  of 
its  history  is  unknown. 

In  a  history  written  in  Greek  by  Mentho  in  the  third  cen- 
tury B.  C.  is  given  a  list  of  the  ancient  kings  of  Egypt. 
They  are  divided  into  empires,  then  subdivided  into  dynas- 
ties. 

The  first  is  called  the  Ancient  Empire,  and  it  comprises 
the  first  ten  dynasties.  Menes  was  king  of  the  first  dynasty. 
The  Pyramid  of  Cheops  was  built  by  King  Cheop,  who 
reigned  over  one  of  those  dynasties,  and  other  monuments 
were  erected  which  are  said  to  be  well  preserved  even  unto 
this  day. 

Egypt  is  said  to  have  had  a  compacted  form  of  govern- 
ment even  in  that  early  period  of  her  history. 

Through  discoveries  made  by  archaeologists,  the  early  his- 
tory of  Egypt  is  being  read  today  from  her  hieroglyphics. 
It  is  said  that  Egypt  had  developed  an  alphabet,  and  that 
there  were,  as  in  our  alphabet,  two  forms  of  letters,  one  for 
writing  and  one  for  printing.  In  hieroglyphic  writing,  use 
was  made  of  pictures  and  symbols  to  express  thoughts.  The 
key  to  these  hieroglyphics  is  the  rosetta  stone.  This  was 
found  by  the  French,  when  they  invaded  Egypt  under  Na- 
poleon in  1798.  The  precious  relic  bears  an  inscription  in 
the  Egyptian  and  in  the  Greek  languages,  three  forms  of 
script  being  used — the  Egyptian  hieroglyphics  and  the 
Demotic,  then  the  Greek  characters.  The  chief  credit  for 
deciphering  these  inscriptions  we  owe  to  a  French  scholar, 
Champollion. 

These  researches  have  opened  the  long  sealed  libraries 
of  Egypt  and  have  made  them  known  to  the  world. 


the;  third  church  age.  -  27 

The  second  or  middle  empire  extends  from  the  12th 
dynasty  to  the  19th  dynasty,  or  from  1985  B.  C.  to  1575 
B.  C. 

The  third  or  new  empire  begins  with  the  19th  dynasty  in 
1359  B.  C,  and  ends  with  a  Persian  dynasty  about  the  mid- 
dle of  the  4th  century.  There  were  in  all  31  Egyptian 
dynasties. 

The  second  empire  is  the  one  of  most  interest  to  the 
present  subject.  It  covers  a  period  of  more  than  four  cen- 
turies, from  1985  B.  C.  to  1359  B.  C. 

Egypt  was  invaded  by  the  Hykos,  a  northern  race  of 
people  known  as  Shepherd  Kings,  who  overcame  the  old 
Theban  kings  of  the  12th  dynasty,  and  controlled  the  des- 
tiny of  Egypt  for  several  centuries.  These  people  in  man- 
ners and  culture  resembled  the  Hebrews. 

It  was  during  the  latter  part  of  the  reign  of  the  Hykos 
that  Joseph  was  sold  into  Egypt  in  1729  B.  C,  and  a  few 
years  later  the  families  of  Egypt  found  refuge  in  Egypt 
(1689  B.  C). 

At  the  expiration  of  the  17th  dynasty  in  1575  B.  C,  the 
18th  or  Thosthmuic  dynasty  began,  and  governed  Egypt  un- 
til 1359  B.  C.  Thosthmus  I  was  a  young  prince  of  the  The- 
ban line  of  kings  or  royal  family,  and  by  a  hard  struggle 
he  drove  the  Hykos  out  of  Egypt.  This  is  known  in  his- 
tory as  the  War  of  Independence,  and  was  waged  for  sev- 
eral years. 

It  was  in  the  fourth  year  of  the  reign  of  Thosthmus  that 
Moses  was  bom,  1571  B.  C.  This  even,  though  seemingly 
insignificant,  is  one  of  very  great  importance  to  the  des- 
tiny of  Israel. 

It  was  Thosthmus  who  enforced  the  decree  of  death  upon 
the  male  children  of  the  Hebrews.     (Ex.  I,  15-22.) 

(Rev.  II,  13)  "In  those  days  wherein  Antipas"  (the 
meaning  of  this  word  is  little)  "was  my  faithful  martyr, 
that  was  slain  among  you,  where  Satan  dwelleth." 


28  ESCHATOI^OGY. 

In  Ex.  II,  1,  10  is  found  the  beautiful  little  story  of  Moses 
and  the  daughter  of  Pharoah,  Princess  Hatshepsut,  who 
found  Moses  on  the  River  Nile.  She  finally  adopted  him  as 
her  son,  and  educated  him  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Egyp- 
tians. (Acts  VII,  22.)  This  preparation  fitted  him  no  doubt 
for  the  work  which  God  had  enjoined  upon  him  to  do,  and 
which  made  him  a  great  statesman  and  a  leader  of  Israel. 

OPENING  OF  THE  THIRD  SEAL. 

Rev.  VI,  5-6.  In  the  opening  of  the  third  seal  the  Black 
Horse  and  the  Rider  are  emblematic  of  the  corrupt  condi- 
tions of  this  age. 

SOUNDING  OE  THE  THIRD  TRUMPET. 

Rev.  VIII,  10-11.  "And  John  saw  a  great  star  fall  upon 
the  Rivers  and  the  Fountains  of  Waters,  and  they  became 
bitter,  and  many  men  died." 

Ex.  VII — One  of  the  ten  plagues. 

Ex.  XI— Death  of  the  first-born. 

"And  the  name  of  the  star  was  wormwood."  Rev.  VIII, 
11. 

This  would  indicate  the  seven  afflictions,  the  persecution 
and  the  bondage  that  the  families  of  Israel  were  under- 
going while  they  were  in  Egypt. 

Gen.  XVII— God's  Covenant  with  Abraham. 

II  Sam.  VII,  1-17— God's  Promise  to  David. 

Is.   IX — Christ's  birth  and  Kingdom. 

Luke  I,  31-33— Birth  of  Christ. 

Matt.   I,   1-17— Genealogy  of  Christ. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  covenant  was  made  to 
Abraham  in  the  preceding  age. 

These  are  very  important  events  that  are  transpiring  in 
the  development  of  the  families  of  the  Hebrews  into  a 
national  existence,  and  not  only  the  Hebrews,  but  to  the 
Gentile  nations  as  well. 


the;  third  church  age.  29 

At  this  time  they  were  all  just  emerging  from  the  patri- 
archal or  tribal  state  into  national  life,  and  they  were  each 
striving  for  the   supremacy. 

Following  is  a  synopsis  of  important  events  as  they  trans- 
pired during  the  Third  Church  Age. 

Relative  to  the  Hebrews: 

Gen.  XXI,  1-12— Isaac's  Birth  in  1896  B.  C. 

Gen.  XXV— Birth  of  Esau  and  Jacob,  1837  B.  C. 

Gen.  XXV,  27-34— Esau  Sells  his  Birthright. 

Gen.  XXVII — Jacob  Deceives  Isaac. 

For  convenience  in  study,  several  chapters  are  grouped 
together. 

The  ten  chapters  of  Genesis,  from  XXVII  to  XXXVII, 
should  be  studied  very  carefully,  for  they  cover  the  Period 
of  Jacob,  from  the  time  he  journeyed  to  his  mother's  brother 
in  Padanaram  to  the  time  Joseph  was  sold  into  Egypt  in 
1729  B.  C.,  a  little  over  one  hundred  years.  Jacob  now  has 
twelve  sons  in  his  family,  and  from  their  names  we  have 
the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel. 

Chapters  XXXVII  to  L  of  Genesis  are  also  very  inter- 
esting. They  contain  the  history  from  the  time  that  Joseph 
was  sold  into  Egypt  in  1729  until  the  families  of  Israel  went 
into  Egypt,  about  1689  B.  C. 

Rev.  II,  15.    Deeds  of  the  Nicolaitanes. 

Lev.  XVIII,  21-29. 

Gen.  XIX.     Destruction  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah. 

Ex.  II,  1-10— The  Birth  of  Moses.  Moses  slew  an 
Egyptian  and  fled  from  Egypt  into  the  land  of  Midian. 

Ex.  Ill,  IV — The  Lord  appeared  unto  Moses  in  a  burning 
bush  and  told  him  to  go  back  into  Egypt  and  prepare  to 
deliver  the  Israelites  from  the  Egyptians. 

The  families  of  Egypt  were  now  to  return  to  Canaan 
under  the  leadership  of  Moses. 

Ex.  VII,  X — The  Lord  sends  the  ten"  plagues. 

Ex.  XII — The  Passover  instituted. 


30  ESCHATOIvOGY. 

Ex.  XIII — The  Israelites  journey  to  the  Red  Sea. 

Ex.  XIV — Pharoah  pursues  them.  The  Crossing  of  the 
Red  Sea. 

Ex.  XV,  22-27— They  journey  to  EHm. 

Ex.  XVI — They  murmur  for  bread,  and  manna  is  given 
them. 

Ex.  XVII— They  pitch  at  Rephidim. 

Ex.  XIX — They  arrive  at  Mt.  Sinai  ten  months  after 
they  leave  Egypt. 

Ex.  XX — They  remain  at  Mt.  Sinai  ten  months.  During 
this  time  the  ten  commandments  are  given  (1491  B.  C). 

Ex.  XXV,  XXVI— The  ark  of  the  covenant  and  the  tab- 
ernacle are  constructed.  This  tabernacle  is  a  type  of  the 
temple  which  was  built  later  on. 

The  Israelites  were  numbered  and  there  were  nearly 
three  million  of  them — quite  a  nation,  on  their  way  back  to 
establish  themselves  again  in  Canaan. 

They  were  twelve  months  in  going  from  Egypt  to  Mt. 
Sinai. 

Num.  X — On  the  twentieth  day  of  the  second  month  in 
the  second  year  they  were  at  Kadish  on  the  border  of  the 
wilderness  of  Zin. 

Num.  XI — They  journey  from  Kadish  three  days  through 
the  wilderness  to  Kibroth.  They  murmur  for  flesh  to  eat 
and  the  Lord  sends  them  quails,  which  they  ate  for  thirty 
days  while  in  camp. 

Num.  XII— They  journey  from  Kibroth  to  Hazeroth. 
Here  Miriam  and  Aaron  rebuked  Moses  because  he  married 
the  Ethiopian  woman.  Both  were  striken  with  leprosy. 
They  remain  in  camp  seven  days. 

Num.  XIII — The  people  remove  from  Hazeroth  into  the 
wilderness  of  Paran  at  Rithmah.  Here  they  remain  forty 
days  until  the  twelve  spies  return  from  their  expedition  to 
Canaan.     They  had  been  six  months   in  journeying  from 


THE  THIRD   CHURCH    AGE.  31 

Mt.  Sinai  through  the  wilderness  of  Zin,  making  in  all 
one  year  and  six  months  out  of  Egypt. 

Ten  of  the  twelve  spies  gave  a  false  report,  and  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  refuse  to  move  against  the  Canaanites.  They 
murmur  against  Moses. 

Num.  XVI — Korah  and  Dathan  rebel  against  Moses 
and  the  Lord  destroys  them. 

Ex.  XIV,  30-35 — The  people  return  to  the  wilderness, 
and  are  there  thirty-seven  and  a  half  years,  making  thirty- 
nine  years  since  they  left  Egypt.  They  return  to  Kadish, 
which  was  their  starting  point  into  the  wilderness  after 
leaving  Mt.  Sinai. 

Num.  XX — They  were  now  in  the  first  month  of  their 
fortieth  year,  when  they  started  again  through  the  wilder- 
ness of  Zin  toward  Canaan. 

Miriam  dies  at  Kadish  and  is  buried  there. 

The  people  again  murmur  for  water.  Moses  smites  the 
rock  with  his  rod  and  water  gushes  forth.  He  calls  the 
place  Meribah.  Moses  and  Aaron  fail  to  sanctify  the 
Lord  to  the  people,  and  were  forbidden  to  lead  them  to 
Canaan. 

The  people  journey  from  Kadish  and  come  to  Mt.  Hor. 

Aaron  dies  at  Mt.  Hor. 

Num.  XXI — The  Israelites  move  from  Mt.  Hor  by  way 
of  the  Red  Sea.  They  murmur  at  their  difficulties,  and 
this  time  God  sends  fiery  serpents  to  destroy  the  people. 
Moses  is  commanded  to  erect  a  brazen  serpent  and  lift  it 
upon  a  pole,  that  he  who  is  below  may  look  and  live.  This 
serpent  of  brass  is  a  type  of  the  sacrifice  that  Christ  is  to 
offer  for  the  sins  of  the  world.     (John  II,  14-15.) 

The  Israelites  journey  from  Abath  into  the  wilderness 
of  Moab.  They  had  consumed  ten  months  of  the  fortieth 
year  journeying  through  the  wilderness.  They  had  encoun- 
tered enemies  along  the  route,  and  now  as  they  enter  the 
wilderness  of  Moab,  bordering  on  the  Jordan,  they  meet 


32  ESCHATOLOGY. 

the  greatest  foe  which  has  yet  appeared  before  them.  This 
was  the  tribe  of  Midianites,  whose  king  was  Balak,  and 
Balaam,  a  prophet  in  Midian. 

Num.  XXII-XXV. 

Rev.  II,  14. 

Notice  the  similarity  in  the  above  two  passages. 

Deut.  XXXIV— Moses  died  on  Mt.  Nebo. 

Rev.  XVI,  4-7— The  Third  Vial  of  Wrath. 

Ex.  VII,  18-25. 

Ex.  XI. 


END  OF  THIRD  CHURCH  AGE. 


FOURTH 
CHURCH  AGE 

THYATIRAO 

THE  LAW  PERIOD 


Duration,   730  Years 


■''  Songs  of  labor  or  sacrifice  of  contrition — death. 
3 


FOURTH  CHURCH  AGE 

The  Angel  with  the  fourth  message. 

Rev.  II,  18-29.  The  wording  of  this  letter  should  be 
carefully  noted.  The  age  is  designated  as  the  Law  Period, 
because  of  the  fact  that  the  law  had  just  been  given  to  Israel. 

All  these  events  are  easily  understood  when  it  is  known 
where  to  locate  them  and  in  what  age  they  occur.  Many  of 
the  events  of  this  age  are  very  important  and  worthy  of 
serious  study, 

THE  FOURTH   SEAL  OPENED. 

Rev.VI,  7-8.  The  Pale  Horse  and  the  Rider  signify  death. 
This,  too,  is  very  emblematic  of  the  events  of  this  age.  The 
war  with  the  kings  of  Assyria,  the  division  of  the  Kingdom, 
the  internal  wars,  driving  out  the  Canaanites,  the  parceling 
out  of  the  land  to  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel,  the  Kingdom 
established  and  the  building  of  the  temple  are  all  interesting 
events  of  this  age. 

THE  FOURTH   TRUMPET  SOUNDS. 

Rev.  VIII,  12-13.  This  should  be  carefully  noted,  es- 
pecially the  latter  part  of  verse  13.  The  angel  says,  "Woe 
looe,  woe  unto  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  by  reason  of  the 
other  voices  of  the  other  three  trumpets  which  are  yet  to 
sound."  These  three  woes  will  begin  with  the  fifth  trumpet 
sound,  or  Fifth  Church  Age,  This  fact  must  be, borne  in 
mind. 

Josh.  I,  V — Joshua  leads  the  Israelites  into  Canaan.  They 
miraculously  cross  the  Jordan  and  prepare  to  take  Jericho. 


36  ESCHATOU)GY. 

Josh.  VI — City  of  Jericho  destroyed. 

Josh.  VII,  VIII— City  of  Ai  destroyed. 

Josh,  IX-XII — Destruction  of  the  Canaanites. 

Josh.  XIII,  XIV— The  land  divided,  and  the  death  of 
Joshua.     He  ruled  40  years. 

Judg.  Ill — Ehud  ruled  Israel  80  years. 

Judg.  IV — Deborah  ruled  Israel  40  years. 

Judg.  V-VIII — Gideon  ruled  Israel  40  years. 

Judg.  IX — Abemelich  ruled  Isreal  3  years. 

Judg.  X — Tola  and  Jair  ruled  Israel  45  years. 

After  this  they  were  without  a  captain  until  the  18th  year 
of  Jephthah. 

Judg.  XI,  XII,  1-7 — Jehpthah  ruled  Israel  6  years. 

Judg.  XII,  7-15 — Ibzon  and  Elon  and  Abdon  ruled  23 
years. 

Judg.  XIV-XVI— Samson  ruled  20  years. 

I  Sam.  I-IV — Levi,  Judge  and  Priest,  ruled  44  years. 

I  Sam.  I-IX — Samuel  ruled  15  years. 

This  covers  a  period  of  356  years  that  the  Israelites  were 
governed  by  judges.  The  Book  of  Ruth  gives  a  picture  of 
their  simple  home  life. 

I  Sam.  X — Saul  annointed  in  1095  B.  C.  first  king  of 
Israel.     He  ruled  twenty-five  years  after  Samuel  died. 

We  have  traced  carefully  God's  chosen  people,  Israel, 
from  the  Patriarchal  or  Tribal  State  to  one  of  national  ex- 
istence and  power. 

I  Sam.  XVI— David  annointed  king  (1048  B.  C). 

II  Sam.  V — David  captures  the  city  of  David,  which 
he  at  once  makes  the  seat  or  capital  of  his  kingdom  and  calls 
it  Jerusalem.     This  city  has  an  interesting  history. 

Gen.  XIV — After  Abraham  had  destroyed  the  five  kings 
in  battle  he  met  on  his  return  Melchizedek,  who  was  a 
priest  of  the  Most  High  God,  and  also  king  of  Salem.  He 
gives  Abraham  his  blessing.     The  city  Salem  afterward  be- 


THE   FOURTH   CHURCH    AGE.  37 

came  the  City  of  David,  then  was  named  Jerusalem,  and 
made  the  capital  cf  the  kingdom  of  Israel. 

David  ruled  40  years. 

II  Sam.  VI— The  Ark  brought  to  Zion. 

II  Sam.  VII — The  kingdom  established. 

II  Sam.  XXIV — David  numbering  the  people. 

I  Kings  I,  II — Solomon  annointed  king.  During  his 
reign  the  kingdom  of  Israel  w^as  at  peace  with  other 
nations.  Solomon's  righteousness,  wisdom  and  power 
were  known  to  them  all.  The  nation  was  at  its  zenith  of 
glory.  God's  covenant  with  Abraham  had  been  fulfilled. 
(Gen.  XII.) 

I  Kings  V-VII — Building  of  the  temple. 

I  Kings  VIII — Dedication  of  the  temple.  Zion,  the 
church  of  God,  was  now  permanently  established  in 
Israel,  and  the  honor  and  glory  of  it  was  known  to  all 
nations.     How  sad  that  it  was  soon  to  disappear! 

I  Kings  IX — God's  covenant  with  Solomon. 

I  Kings  X — The  Queen  of  Sheba  with  Solomon. 

After  reigning  40  years,  Solomon  died  in  975  B.  C. 

I  Kings  XII — Rehoboam,  son  of  Solomon,  annointed 
king  over  Israel,  975  B.  C.  The  kingdom  is  now  di- 
vided. Two  tribes,  Benjamin  and  Judah,  remain  loyal 
to  Rehoboam,  and  the  seat  of  their  government  is  Jeru- 
salem. Jeroboam  is  annointed  king  over  the  remaining 
ten  tribes,  known  as  Ephraim  or  Israel,  and  they  estab- 
lish their  seat  of  government  at  Samaria. 

Here  follows  a  list  of  the  nineteen  kings  of  Israel  from 
the  division  of  the  kingdom  in  975  B.  C. 

I  Kings  XII,  20  verses — Jeroboam,  975  B.  C.,  22  years. 

I  Kings  XIV,  20  verses— Nadab,  954  B.  C,  2  years. 

I  Kings  XV,  16  verses— Baasha,  953  B.  C.,  24  years. 

I  Kings  XXI,  6  verses— Elah,  930  B.  C.,  2  years. 

I  Kings,  XVI,  10  verses— Zimri,  929  B.  C.,  7  days. 

I  Kings  XXI,  16  verses— Omri,  929  B.  C.,  12  years. 


38  ESCHATOLOGY. 

I  Kings  XXI,  28  verses— Ahab,  918  B.  C,  22  years. 
The  Prophets  Micaiah  and  Elijah  appear  and  proph- 
esy. 

Note  I  Kings  XVII-XXII;  II  Kings  MI;  II  Chron. 
XVII-XVIII;  Rev.  II,  19-26. 

I  Kings  XXII,  40  verses— Ahaziah,  897  B.  C,  2  years. 

II  Kings  III,  1  verse — Jehoroam,  896  B.  C,  12  years. 
The  Prophet  in  Israel — 

II  Kings  II-XIII — Prophecies  of  Elisha. 

II  Kings  IX,  6— Jehu,  884  B.  C,  28  years. 

II  Kings  IXI-I,  1— Jehoahaz,  856  B.  C,  17  years. 
•      II  Kings  XIII,  10  verses— Jehoash,  839  B.  C,  16  years. 

The  prophet  Jonah  prophesied  against  Nineveh. 

II  Kings  XIV,  22  verses— Jeroboam,  825  B.  C,  41 
years. 

The  minor  prophet  Hosea  prophesies.  Hosea  II,  III, 
IV.    He  prophesies  against  Israel,  721  B.  C. 

Hosea  VIII— Judah  destroyed  by  Babylon,  606  B.  C. 

Amos  I-II — Amos,  a  minor  prophet,  contemporary 
with  Hosea,  prophesies  against  Assyria  and  Moab  by 
Babylon  in  620  B.  C. 

Amos  HI,  VII,   IX— Against  Israel  by  Assyria,  721 

B.  C. 

II  Kings  XX,  8  verses— Zachariah,  17Z  B.  C,  6  months. 
II  Kings  XV,  13  verses— Shallma,  772  B.  C,  1  month. 
II  Kings  XX,  17  verses— Menahum,  772  B.  C,  10  years. 
II  Kings  XV,  23  verses— Pekahiah,  761  B.  C,  2  years. 
II  Kings  XV,  27  verses— Pekah,  759  B.  C,  20  years. 

II  Kings  XV,  27  verses— Hoshea,  742  B.  C,  7  years. 

II  Kings  XVII— Israel  or  Ephraim  taken  into  captiv- 
ity by  Shalmanezzar,  King  of  Assyria,  in  721  B.  C. 

It  is  possible  to  obtain  many  interesting  statistics  of 
the  Jews  or  Israelites.  They  are  supposed  to  number 
thirteen  millions,  and  are  scattered  throughout  the  na- 
tions of  Europe  and  through  the  United  States  of  Am- 


THE  FOURTH   CHURCH   AGE.  39 

erica.  In  the  latter  country  there  are  supposed  to  be 
two  and  a  half  millions.  In  Russia  alone  there  are  five 
and  a  half  millions.  The  remainder  are  scattered  through 
various  countries  of  Europe.  It  has  been  a  puzzle  to  his- 
torians to  know  what  became  of  the  ten  tribes  of  Israel, 
called  on  this  account  the  ten  lost  tribes.  It  is  possible 
t.'iat  these  are  the  Russian  Jews,  but  this  is  only  a  con- 
jecture. 

When  the  Assyrians  led  the  ten  tribes  into  captivity 
they  filled  Palestine  with  their  own  people,  the  Assyri- 
ans, to  prevent  Israel  from  ever  returning.  They  never 
did  return.  The  geographical  location  of  Assyria  at  that 
time  was  in  the  remote  northern  part  of  Asia  Minor  on 
the  Bosporus,  bordering  Greece  in  Europe,  hence  the  ten 
tribes  crossed  over  into  Russia,  in  the  northern  part  of 
Europe. 

A  list  of  the  twenty  Kings  of  Judah : 

I  Kings  XII— Rehoboam,  975  B.  C,  17  years. 

I  Kings  XV,  1— Abijah,  957  B.  C,  3  years. 

I  Kings  XV,  9— Asa,  955  B.  C,  41  years. 

I  Kings  XXII,  41— Jehosophat,  914  B.  C,  25  years. 

II  Kings  VIII,  16— Jehoroam,  889  B.  C,  8  years. 

II  Kings  VIII,  25  years— Ahaziah,  885  B.  C,  1  year. 

II  Kings  XI,  3— Alhaliah,  884  B.  C,  6  years. 

II  Kings  XI,  21— Jehoash,  878  B.  C,  40  years. 

Zechariah  was  Prophet. 

II  Kings  XIV,  1— Amaziah,  838  B.  C,  29  years. 

II  Kings  XIV,  21— Azuriah,  810  B.  C,  52  years. 

II  Kings  XV,  32— Jothan,  758  B.  C,  16  years. 

Isaiah,  the  Prophet  of  Judah,  appears  upon  the  scene 
of  action.  His  prophecies  are  first  directed  against 
Israel  and  Judah. 

Is.  I,  VIII — A  general  denunciation  of  Isreal  and  Judah. 

Is.  XV — He  prophesies  against  Moab. 

Is.  XVI,  XX— Destruction  of  Egypt  by  Assyrians. 


40  ESCHATOLOGY. 

Is.  XXI — He  prophesies  against  Babylon  by  Medes 
and  Persians. 

Is.  XLII,  LX — Christ's  mission  to  the  Gentiles. 

Is.  XLV — Restoration  by  Cyrus. 

Is.  IX — Christ's  Birth  and  Kingdom. 

Luke  II,  8-14— Birth  of  Christ. 

II  Kings  XVI,  1— Ahazim,  742  B.  C,  16  years.  Micah, 
a  minor  prophet  and  contemporary  with  Isiah,  also 
prophesies. 

Micah  I-II — He  prophesies  against  Israel  and  Judah  by 
Assyria;  Israel  by  Assyria  in  721  B.  C,  and  Judah  by 
Assyria  in  606  B.  C,  by  Babylon. 

Micah  IV,  10— Birth  of  Christ,  His  Kingdom. 

Matt.  II,  2-6— Birth  of  Christ. 

II  Kings  XVIII,  1  verse— Hezekiah,  720  B.  C,  29 
years. 

Nahum  II-VI — The  prophecies  of  Nahum,  a  minor 
prophet,  are  directed  against  Assyria,  Egypt  and  Edom 
by  Babylon  (620  B.  C). 

II  Kings  XXI,  1  verse— Manasseh,  698  B.  C,  55  years. 

II  Kings  XXI,  19  verses— Anion,  643  B.  C,  2  years. 

Another  minor  prophet,  Joel,  also  prophesies. 

II  Kings  XXII,  1  verse— Josiah,  641  B.  C,  31  years. 

Jer.  II-VI-VIII — Calamities  of  the  Jews  foretold  by 
Jeremiah,  a  major  prophet. 

Jer.  L,  LI — Destruction  of  Babylon  by  Medes  and 
Persians.  (536  B.  C) 

Jer.  XXX,  XXXIII— Restoration  of  Judah. 

Jer.  XXIII— Promise  of  Christ. 

II  Kings  XXIII,  30  verses— Jehoaz,  610  B.  C,  3 
months. 

Zeph.  I,  II— Zephaniah,  a  minor  prophet,  prophesies 
against  Judah  by  Babylon  (606  B.  C). 

II  Kings  XXIII,  34  verses— Jehoikam,  610  B.  C,  11 
months. 


THE  FOURTH   CHURCH   AGE.  41 

II  Kings  XXIV,  8  verses— Jehoiachim,  519  B.  C,  3 
months. 

The  prophet  Ezekiel  prophesies  before  the  captivity 
cf  Judah  by  Babylonians,  606  B.  C. 

Ezek.   XII — Zedekiah's   capitvity  typified. 

II  Kings  XXIV,  18 — Zedekiah  annointed  king  in  588 
B.  C,  the  last  king  of  Judah. 

II  Kings  XXIV,  XXV — Destruction  of  Jerusalem  by 
Nebuchadnezzar,  King  of  Babylon,  in  586  B.  C. 

Ezek.  XXI — Conquest  of  Tyre  by  Babylon. 

Ezek.  XXX — Conquest  of  Egypt  by  Babylon. 

Ezek.  XXXI — Conquest  of  Assyria  by  Babylon. 

Ezek.  XXIV — Destruction  of  Jerusalem. 

In  verses  6  and  7  notice  the  Woe  that  is  expressed. 

Is.  XXIX,  1-7 — Destruction  of  Jerusalem.  Note  the 
Woe  expressed. 

Rev.  VIII,  13 — Three  Woes  are  here  expressed.  There 
are  still  three  more  angels  to  sound  the  three  trumpets.  The 
four  trumpets  had  already  sounded. 

This  important  event  closes  the  Fourth  Church  Age, 
or  haw  Age. 

The  beginning  of  the  Fifth  Church  Age  is  known  as 
the  Prophetical  Age,  under  the  Fifth  Trumpet  Sound. 
With  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  at  the  beginning  of 
the  Fifth  Church  Age  the  first  Woe  begins,  or  in  606 
B.  C,  when  Judah  became  a  tributary  nation  to  Babylon. 

Note  the  significance  of  the  three  Woes.  Knowing  the 
time  to  which  the  first  Woe  refers,  it  is  important  to 
trace  the  period  of  each  of  the  others,  so  that  the  events 
may  be  located  as  they  occur. 

Rev.  XVI,  8-9— The  Fourth  Vial  of  Wrath. 

Observe  the  appropriateness  of  the  conditjons  men- 
tioned. 

END   OE  THE   FOURTH    CHURCH    AGE. 


FIFTH  CHURCH  AGE 

SARDISO 

PROPHETICAL  PERIOD 


Duration,  721    Years 


*  Songs  of  joy  or  that  which   remains — lack  of  zeal. 


FIFTH  CHURCH  AGE 

Rev.  Ill,  1-6.  In  the  first  six  verses  of  the  third 
chapter  of  Revelation  is  found  the  letter  to  the  Fifth 
Church  Age,  the  wording  of  which,  it  will  be  noticed,  dif- 
fers from  that  of  any  of  the  four  preceding  letters.  This 
is  known  as  the  Prophetical  Age,  because  of  the  finish- 
ing up  of  the  Old  Testament  dispensation — the  Law — 
and  the  coming  in  of  the  New  Testament,  or  Gospel  Age. 
Christ  is  coming  to  establish  His  Kingdom  upon  earth. 
In  verse  3  Christ  says,  "Hold  fast  and  repent.  If  there- 
fore thou  shalt  not  watch,  I  will  come  as  a  thief  on 
thee,  and  thou  shalt  not  know  what  hour  I  will  come." 

It  will  be  noted  how  appropriate  is  this  reference  to 
Christ's  First  Appearing. 

Matt.  II,  1-10,  and  Luke  II,  8-14,  Christ's  Birth. 

THE  FIFTH  SEAL  OPFNFD. 

Rev.  VI,  9-11.    This  should  be  carefully  studied. 

THF   FIFTH    TRUMPET   SOUNDED. 

Rev.  IX,  1-12.  The  Star  mentioned  here  as  falling  from 
Heaven  represents  Babylon,  the  seat  of  the  power  of  'Pagan- 
ism. 

Is.  XIV,  12-23— Lucifer,  the  Morning  Star. 

Rev.  XVII,  1-6— The  Mystery  Babylon. 

Rev.  XII,  7-12— The  Great  Red  Dragon.  Note  with 
care  these  great  events  that  are  transpiring  in  the  Fifth 
Church  Age,  which  begins  in  606  B.  C.  and  closes  at  63 
B.  C,  the  beginning  of  the  Roman  Empire.  Or  we  may 
say,  for  cenvenience,  that     it     extends     to     the    Christian 


46  ESCHATOLOGY. 

Era,  a  period  of  over  600  years.  During  this  period  we 
have  the  Babylonian  Era,  606-536  B,  C,  the  Persian  Era, 
536-332  B.  C,  the  Greek  Era,  332-198  B.  C,  the  Syrian 
Era,  198-168  B.  C,  the  Maccabean  Era,  168-63  B.  C.  and 
the  Roman  Era,  63  B.  C.,135  A.  D. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  try  to  be  too  exact  regarding  the 
dates  of  various  periods  or  ages.  Any  investigator  of 
historical  events  will  find  that  he  cannot  put  too  much 
trust  in  exact  dates.  It  is  best  to  arrange  historical  hap- 
penings according  to  the  changes  in  religious  and  po- 
litical periods,  and  to  be  guided  by  this  classification. 

We  have  three  different  systems  of  chronology  in 
view:  1st  the  lunar  year,  354  days;  2nd,  the  solar  year, 
360  days ;  3rd,  the  standard  year,  365  days.  The  Baby- 
lonians, Hebrews  and  Mohammedans  used  the  lunar 
system.  The  solar  system  was  introduced  by  Julius 
Caesar,  Emperor  of  Rome,  the  standard  time  by  Pope 
Gregory.  This  system  is  in  use  by  Great  Britain,  France 
and  the  United  States. 

Ezek.  IV,  1-8,  Num.  XIV,  33-35— The  prophets  used 
these  mysterious  symbols :  a  day,  for  a  year ;  meaning  a  year 
in  point  of  time. 

Dan.  XII,  7;  Rev.  XI,  2-3;  Rev.  XII,  1-6,  all  refer  to 
the  same  period  of  time,  1260  years. 

Uusing  the  lunar  chronology  as  an  illustration,  the 
354  days  equals  a  "time"  (354  years)  and  "times,"  which 
is  plural,  means  twice  354  years,  or  708  years.  Then 
again  a  half  time,  177  years,  equals  1239  years.  These  are 
symbols,  and  are  called  prophetical  days,  to  which  we 
will  frequently  need  to  refer.  Any  one  of  the  chrono- 
logical systems,  354,  360  or  365  days  may  be  used,  but 
with  the  understanding  that  there  will  be  a  difference 
between  them. 

Between  the  Julian  and  the  lunar  systems  there  is  a  dif- 


THE   FIFTH    CHURCH    AGE.  47 

ference  of  21  years.    For  convenience  we  will  hereafter  use 
in  this  work  the  Julian  system. 

Following  is  a  relation  of  events  as  they  occur  in  the 
Fifth  Church  Age. 

The  two  tribes,  Benjamin  and  Judah  (known  as  Ju- 
dah).  They  were  taken  captive  by  Babylon  in  606  B.  C, 
and  were  captives  in  Babylon  70  years,  until  536  B.  C. 
After  her  captivity  in  Babylon,  Judah  had  three  gover- 
nors, Zerubabel,  in  546  B.  C,  Ezra,  457  B.  C,  and  Nehe- 
miah,  456  B.  C. 

Haggai  II — Haggai,  a  minor  prophet,  foretells  the  glory 
of  the  second  temple. 

Zech.  II-VIII — Zecheriah  prophesies  of  the  restora- 
tion of  Judah,  and  in  chapter  XI,  of  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem  by  the  Roman,  72  A.  D. 

Mai.  Ill,  IV — Malachi,  a  minor  prophet,  tells  of  the 
fore-runner  of  Christ. 

Matt.  Ill;  Luke  I,  II,  also. 

These  three  prophets  grew  up  after  the  captivity  and 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  Firth  Church  Age. 

The  first  Woe  expressed  began  with  the  Babylonish 
captivity  (606  B.  C). 

Ezek.  XXIV,  6-7— The  Woe  expressed. 
Is.  XXIX,   1-7 — Destruction  of  Jerusalem. 
Rev.  VIII,  13 — This  is  the  first  Woe  of  the  three  trum- 
pets that  were  yet  to  sound.    It  must  be  determined  how 
long  this  woe  is  to  last. 

Rev.  IX,  5 — It  was  to  last  a  period  of  five  months, 
tising  the  symbol  of  the  prophetical  day,  which  equals  a 
year.  One  month  would  contain  thirty  days,  or  thirty 
years;  then  five  months  would  contain  150  days  or 
years. 

Beginning  with  the  Babylonish  captivity,  606  B.  C, 
and  ending  with  the  destruction  of  Babylon  by  the  Medes 
and  Persions,  536  B.  C,  is  a  period  of  70  years.     In  536 


48  ESCHATOLOGY. 

B.  C,  Cyrus  made  a  decree  that  the  Jews  should  return 
to  Palestine,  and  restore  that  country  (Read  the  book 
of  Ezra).  It  is  said  that  of  the  Jews  in  Babylon  only 
sixty  thousand  went  back  under  this  decree.     (Is.  XXI). 

Some  still  remained,  and  were  scattered  through  the 
dominion  of  Persia.  (Read  book  of  Esther).  Some  re- 
mained in  Persia  until  the  reign  of  Artaxerxes,  or 
Darius  III.  At  that  time  (456  B.  C.)  occurred  what  is 
known  as  the  Great  Reformation  of  the  Jews,  under  the 
leadership  of  Nehemiah.  (Read  book  of  Nehemiah). 
From  the  time  that  King  Cyrus  made  his  decree  (Ezra 
I,  1-16)  until  the  Great  Reformation  under  Nehemiah, 
456  B.  C,  is  a  period  of  80  years.  The  Jews  were  in 
Babylon  70  years,  and  these  two  periods  covered  150 
years,  which  is  equal  to  the  5  months  mentioned  in 
Rev.  IX,  5. 

And  this  is  the  period  of  the  First  Woe. 

Rev.  IX,  12 — "One  Woe  is  past,  and  behold  there  are 
two  more  to  come  hereafter." 

The  second  Woe,  then,  begins  at  the  time  of  the  Great 
Reformation  of  the  Jews  under  Nehemiah,  456  B.  C. 
This  period  is  in  the  Persian  Era.  A  little  later,  (332 
B.  C.)  the  Greeks,  under  Alexander  the  Great,  captured 
Persia,  and  Palestine  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Greeks. 

THE    SIXTH    TRUMPET    SOUNDS. 

Rev.  IX,  13-21.  At  this  time  the  Sixth  Angel  sounds  the 
Sixth  Trumpet.  Verse  15  says:  "It  was  prepared  for  one 
hour,  for  a  day,  for  a  month  and  for  a  year  for  to  slay  the 
third  part  of  men." 

Ezek.  IV,  4-6 — The  type  of  Jerusalem's  Siege.  Verse 
4:  "Lie  upon  thy  left  side  and  lay  the  iniquity  of  the 
House  of  Israel  upon  it  according  to  the  number  of  days 
that  thou  shalt  lie  upon  it  thou  shalt  hear  their  iniquity." 
In  verse  5  the  prophet  is  to  lie  upon  his  left  side  390 


THE   FIFTH    CHURCH    AGE.  49 

days,  each  day  to  equal  a  year.  In  the  6th  the  prophet  was 
now  to  He  on  his  right  side  40  days,  for  the  iniquity 
of  the  House  of  Judah.  Forty  days,  each  day  a  year, 
would  equal  40  years.  (For  both  Israel  and  Judah  430 
years). 

Num.  XIV,  33-35 — These  are  the  mysterious  symbols, 
and  the  symbols  applied  to — 

Rev.  IX,  15. — The  one  hour,  one  day,  one  month  and 
one  year,  would  be  391  years,  one  day  being  equal  to 
one  year,  one  month  to  thirty  years,  one  year  to  three 
hundred  sixty  years.  Compare  with  Ezek.  IV,  4-5 — "Lie 
on  the  left  side  for  the  iniquity  of  the  House  of  Israel 
390  days,"  or  years.  It  will  be  seen  that  they  refer  to 
the  same  period  of  time.  In  computing  this  period,  456 
B.  C,  is  the  starting  point,  and  the  390  years  given  by 
Ezekiel  and  also  by  Revelation,  bring  the  epoch  down 
to  63  B.  C,  when  the  Romans  came  into  power,  and  Ju- 
dah became  tributary  to  them. 

Ezek.  IV,  6 — The  prophet  was  to  lie  on  his  right  side 
for  the  iniquity  of  the  House  of  Judah  forty  days,  which 
means  years.  These  forty  years  are  to  be  added  to  the 
390  years,  making  430  years,  and  the  40  years  substracted 
from  63  B.  C,  when  Rome  came  into  power,  bring  the 
period  down  to  23  B.  C. 

This  period  of  time  covers  the  same  epoch  as  does  the 
second  Woe  expressed,  which  will  be  noted  later. 

Ezek.  I — The  vision  of  the  Cherubim. 

Ezek.  X — The  Vision  of  Coals  of  Fire. 

Zech.  I,  18-21— The  Four  Little  Horns. 

Zech,  VI — Vision  of  the  Four  Chariots. 

These  also  refer  to  the  same  period  of  time.- 

In  332  B.  C.  the  Persian  Empire  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  Greeks.  Alexander  the  Great  lived  only  a  few 
years,  and  his  kingdom  was  divided  into  four  parts  by 

4 


50  ESCHATOIvOGY. 

four  of  his  favorite  generals  (Dan.  VIII,  3-8,  The  king- 
dom divided). 

The  first  general,  Cassander,  governed  Macedonia  and 
Greece.  The  second,  Lysimachus,  governed  Thrace,  in 
the  western  part  of  Asia  Minor.  The  third,  Seleucus 
Nicator,  governed  Syria  and  part  of  India. 

The  fourth,  Ptolemy,  governed  Egypt. 

Rev.  IX,  15 — These  are  the  four  angels  that  were 
loosed. 

Ezek.  II,  9-10— Eating  the  roll. 

Ezek.  Ill,  1-3— This  roll  pertains  to  the  Old  Testa- 
ment Scriptures — the  divine  history  of  the  Old  Law 
Dispensations. 

Rev.  X — The  New  Testament  Scriptures  a  divine  his- 
tory of  the  Gospel  Age. 

Rev.  XVI,  10-11— The  Fifth  Vial  of  Wrath. 


END  OE  THE  EIFTH  CHURCH  AGE. 


SIXTH  CHURCH  AGE 

PHILADELPHIAO 

GOSPEL  PERIOD 


Duration,  2334  Years 


*  Brotherly  Love. 


FIRST  SECTION 

(Sixth  Church  Age.) 

THE  LETTER  TO   THE   SlxTH   CHURCH    AGE. 

Rev.  Ill,  7-13. — In  verse  8  John  refers  to  the  coming  of 
Our  Lord.    "He  is  the  Open  Door."     (John  X:l-18.) 

At  a  glance  can  be  seen  what  the  fulfilhnent  of  the  Gospel 
Age  reveals : 

THE   SIXTH    SEAE  OPENED. 

Rev.  VI,  12-17. 
Matt.  XXVII,  46-54. 
Luke  XXIII,  44-49. 

In  verse  13  we  are  told  that  the  stars  fall  from  Heaven 
unto  the  earth. 
Rev.  XII. 

THE  SIXTH   TRUMPET  SOUNDS. 

Rev.  IX,  13-21. — This  should  be  read  very  carefully. 

The  Book  of  Daniel  is  now  to  be  considered. 

Among  the  books  classified  as  Apocryphal,  there  are 
none,  not  even  the  Book  of  Revelation,  which  are  so  puzzling 
to  the  Bible  student  as  the  Book  of  Daniel.  The  meaning 
of  the  word  Apocrypha  is  Some  Hidden  or  Secret  Mystery, 
and  the  Book  of  Daniel  can  certainly  be  so  described. 

Daniel  was  a  young  man  at  the  time  when  Judah  went 
into  captivity  to  Babylon  (606  B.  C).  His  remarkable  abil- 
ity to  understand  and  interpret  dreams  was  demonstrated 
when  he  was  brought  before  Nebuchadnezzar,  King  of 
Babylon,  to  interpret  the  king's  dreams. 

Some  of  Daniel's  phrophecies  are  made  during  the  Baby- 
lonish captivity,  the  remainder  under  Darius  I,  King  of 
the  Aledes  and  Persians  who  had  destroyed  the  empire. 


54  ESCHATOLOGY. 

An  observation  of  pertinence  to  the  subject  in  hand  is 
that  one  of  the  disadvantages  in  the  present  arrangement 
of  the  Bible  is  its  division  into  chapters  and  verses.  This  is 
of  considerable  convenience  in  the  study  of  details,  but  in- 
terferes with  the  mental  grasp  of  a  broad  subject,  as  it  breaks 
the  narrative  in  a  manner  apt  to  be  confusing  to  the  student, 
and  has  been  the  source  of  more  fatal  misunderstandings 
than  all  other  agencies  combined.  Hence  in  this  study,  a 
number  of  chapters  are  often  given  in  a  single  reference, 
the  object  being  to  obtain  a  connected  chain  of  evidence.  In 
a  consideration  of  the  prophecies  of  Daniel,  chapters  II  and 
VII  should  be  studied  in  connection  with  each  other,  as  they 
are  parallel  passages. 

The  second  chapter  of  Daniel  tells  that  Nebuchadnezzar, 
king  of  Babylon,  has  a  dream  which  troubles  him.  He  is 
unable  to  recall  the  matter  of  the  dream  and  sends  for 
Daniel  to  relate  and  interpret  it. 

Dan.  II,  31-33 — Dream  of  the  King. 
Dan.  II,  36-43 — Interpretation  of  it. 
Here  should  be  noted  the  parallel  passages  in  II  and  VII. 
Dan.  VII,  1-7— The  four  great  beasts. 
Dan.  VII,  15-19,  23,  20,  24 — All  these  refer  to  the  same 
great  events. 

Dan.  VII,  2 — ''Daniel  saw  the  four  winds  of  Heaven 
strive  together  upon  the  great  sea." 

This  is  symbolical  language,  the  four  winds  indicating  the 
fact  of  tumult,  war,  etc.  The  great  sea  signifies  the  nations 
who  were  to  struggle  for  supremacy.  Four  great  kingdoms 
were  to  have  supreme  political  power.  The  first,  "the  Head 
of  Gold,"  the  Lion,  which  means  courage  and  strength,  was 
Babylon.  The  second,  "the  Arms  and  Breast  of  Silver,"  the 
Bear,  signifies  cruelty,  the  means  used  to  gain  political  su- 
premacy. These  were  the  Medes  and  Persians  who  over- 
threw Babylon.     The  third,  "the  parts  of  the  image  that 


THE  SIXTH    CHURCH    AGE.  55 

were  brass,"  the  leopard  with  four  wings  and  four  heads, 
refers  to  the  swiftness  of  action  that  characterized  the 
Greeks  under  Alexander,  who  in  a  very  few  years  conquered 
all  of  the  world  there  was  to  conquer.  No  expedition  in  an- 
cient or  modern  war  has  ever  excelled  it.  Alexander  lived 
only  a  few  years  after  his  brilliant  victory  and  his  kingdom 
was  divided  among  four  favorite  generals,  Cassander,  Lysi- 
machus,  Sileucus  Nicator  and  ^Ptolemy. 

The  fourth  part  of  the  vision,  "the  legs  of  iron,"  meaning 
the  strength  and  power  to  subdue,  is  characteristic  of  the 
Romans  who  came  into  power  after  the  Greeks,  subdued 
all  neighboring  nations  and  became  Mistress  of  the  World. 
The  Jews  became  a  nation  tributary  to  the  Romans  in  63 
B.  C.,  and  it  was  at  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  kingdom 
that  a  very  important  event  took  place,  namely,  the  birth  of 
the  Messiah. 

Matt.  II,  4-7— The  establishing  of  Christ's  kingdom. 
Luke  II,  1-21. 

Daniel  II,  34-35  and  44,  45. 

The  final  figure  of  the  dream  is  "feet  of  iron  mixed  with 
clay,"  typifies  partly  strong  and  partly  weak.  The  "ten 
horns"  are  ten  political  powers,  the  ten  separate  kingdoms 
that  are  to  come  up  out  of  the  empire  of  Rome.  In  the  last 
century  of  the  empire,  351-479  A.  D.,  these  ten  divisions,  one 
by  one  came  into  existence.  And  gradually  the  great  pres- 
tige of  the  Roman  Empire  was  absorbed  by  these  ten  king- 
doms, and  her  strength  diminished  and  died. 

Dan.  VII,  8,  20,  21,  24 — "And  out  of  the  ten  horns  a  little 
horn  is  to  come  up,  and  the  horn  is  to  be  diversed  from  the 
ten  horns,"  which  refers  to  His  ecclesiastical  authority.  And 
this  little  horn  is  to  subdue  three  of  the  ten  horns. 

During  the  half  century  immediately  following  the  fall 
of  the  Imperial  City  of  the  West,  the  eastern  emperors 
struggled  hard  to  withstand  the  inundation  that  threatened 
to  overwhelm  Constantinople,  the  New  Rome  by  the  bar- 


56  ESCHATOLOGY. 

barians.  Fortunately  in  527  A.  D.  there  ascended  the  east- 
ern throne  a  prince  of  unusual  ability,  Justinian  by  name, 
who  proved  to  be  the  restorer  of  the  empire.  As  early  as 
the  beginning  of  the  sixth  century,  the  Bishops  of  Rome  were 
exerting  a  strong  influence  upon  the  imperial  court.  There 
were  three  barbarian  kingdoms  who  had  given  the  Bishops 
considerable  trouble  in  the  last  century  of  the  empire  by 
invading  Italy.  One  of  these  tribes  was  the  Vandals  of 
Northern  Africa,  who  were  in  opposition  to  the  Catholic 
Church  at  Rome  on  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  and  were 
mortal  enemies  of  the  Bishops.  Assisted  by  the  Church, 
Justinian  destroyed  the  Vandals  in  533  A.  D. 

The  Visigoths,  or  West  Goths,  had  established  themselves 
in  Southern  Spain,  but  were  overcome  by  Justinian  in  493 
A.  D. 

The  Ostrogoths,  or  Eastern  Goths,  under  the  leadership  of 
Theodoric,  had  established  themselves  in  Northern  Italy, 
Justinian  sent  his  famous  general,  Belisariiis,  on  an  ex- 
pedition against  them,  and  drove  them  out  of  Italy  in  538 
A.  D. 

These  are  the  three  little  horns,  out  of  the  way  of  the 
development  of  the  little  horn  which  came  up  out  of  the  ten, 
and  was  "diversed"  from  them.  This  proves  beyond  a  doubt 
that  the  little  horn  refers  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  or 
to  the  establishment  of  the  papacy.     (Dan.  VII,  20,  24,  25.) 

The  Christian  religion  had  no  recognition  from  the  im- 
perial authorities  until  Constantine,  Emperor  of  Rome,  was 
converted  to  Christianity  in  313  A.  D.  He  raised  it  to  a 
privilege  of  the  imperial  court.  After  being  thus  protected 
it  gained  precedence  and  power,  and  in  the  end  outranked 
its  fellows.  From  the  establishment  of  the  Christian  Church 
of  Rome,  the  beginning  of  the  papacy,  we  date  with  the 
uniting  of  church  and  state,  and  the  details  of  this  must 
now  be  stated. 

In  330  A.  D.  Constantine,  for  military  and  commercial 


THE  SIXTH    CHURCH    AGE;.  57 

reasons,  moved  the  seat  of  government  from  Rome  in  Italy 
to  Byzantine  on  the  Bosporus  in  Greece.  Even  at  this  time 
we  can  see  the  influence  the  church  at  Rome  had  over  the 
imperial  authorities.  With  the  surrender  of  the  sovereignty 
of  the  west  into  the  hands  of  the  emperors  in  the  east,  the 
Bishops  of  Rome  became  the  most  important  personages  in 
Western  Europe,  and  being  so  far  from  the  imperial  court 
in  the  east,  they  gradually  assumed  almost  imperial  powers. 

Long  before  the  fall  of  Rome  there  had  begun  to  grow 
up  within  the  Roman  Empire  an  ecclesiastical  state  which  in 
its  constitution  and  administration  was  shaping  itself  upon 
the  imperial  model.  This  spiritual  empire,  like  the  secular 
empire,  possessed  a  hierarchy  of  ofiicers — deacons,  presby- 
ters, bishops,  etc.  To  the  Bishops  the  precedence  of  autho- 
rity and  jurisdiction  were  given.  These  matters  constituted 
the  great  landmarks  in  the  rise  and  early  growth  of  the 
Papacy. 

Finally  Bishop  Boniface  was  crowned  Pope  of  the  Church 
of  Rome  by  Phoecus,  King  of  Italy,  in  606  A.  D.  Now  he 
is  invested  with  secular  or  political  authority  as  well  as  his 
ecclesiastical  authority,  and  with  this  peculiar  vestage  of 
power,  he  assumes  the  greatest  sovereignty,  and  becomes 
the  ruling  power  of  all  the  nations  of  the  earth. 

In  connection  with  Dan.  II-VII  should  be  read  the  thir- 
teenth chapter  of  Revelation,  keeping  in  mind  the  work  that 
has  been  gone  over  with  regard  to  the  Latin  Church  at 
Rome  and  the  origin  of  the  Papacy.  "The  little  horn  that 
should  come  up  out  of  the  ten  horns,"  and  should  be  di- 
versed  from  the  other  ten,  "the  eighth  kingdom  that  should 
arise  up  out  of  the  seventh  kingdom,"  etc. 

Dan.  VII,  24,  25— The  power  of  the  little  horn. 

Rev.  XVII,  10-18— The  eighth  kingdom. 

With  a  knowledge  of  these,  we  should  be  able  to  apply 
without  trouble  the  thirteenth  chapter  of  Revelation.  In  the 
1st  verse  John  "saw  a  beast  rise  up  out  of  the  sea."     Sea 


58  ESCHATOLOGY. 

signifies  nations  or  people,  a  symbolic  term.  "The  seven 
heads  with  ten  horns"  represents  "seven  kingdoms  that 
should  rise  up  and  ten  kingdoms  should  come  up  after 
them." 

"And  there  were  ten  crowns  upon  his  heads,  the  name  of 
blasphemy." 

This  has  reference  to  the  ecclesiastical  authority — the 
pagan  religious  influences  that  were  parallel  with  the  secu- 
lar or  political  influences  prevailing  over  the  seven  kingdoms 
and  afterward  the  ten  kingdoms— the  political  divisions  of 
Europe. 

Rev.  XIII,  2 — "The  beast  was  like  a  leopard,  and  his  feet 
were  as  the  feet  of  a  bear,  and  his  mouth  as  the  mouth  of  a 
lion.  And  the  dragon  gave  him  his  power  and  his  seat  of 
authority." 

The  beast  represents  the  church — the  ecclesiastical  autho- 
rity that  had  its  characterizing  influence  over  the  leopard,  the 
bear,  the  lion,  and  lastly,  over  the  dragon,  which  represented 
the  four  great  nations  whose  history  was  nearly  finished, 
namely,  Babylon,  Persia,  Greece  and  Rome. 

Dan.  VII,  2-8;  17-20— "But  the  dragon  (the  Roman  Em- 
pire) is  to  give  him  his  seat,  his  power  and  great  authority." 
The  beast,  the  church,  is  now  to  receive  greater  power 
and  authority.  This  certainly  has  reference  to  the  Papacy, 
for  now  the  Pope  is  not  only  invested  with  ecclesiastical 
power,  but  the  power  of  state  is  given  him  also,  and  by  this 
means  the  Latin  church  is  sovereign,  not  alone  at  Rome,  but 
also  over  the  nations  of  the  earth. 

Rev.  XIII,  5 — Power  to  govern  for  forty-two  months. 
Dan.  VII,  25— These  passages  refer  to  the  same  fact. 
This  period  begins  606  A.  D.,  and  extends  a  Time,  Times 
and  a  Half-Time  (using  the  symbolic  term  a  day  for  a 
year).  According  to  the  Julian  system  of  chronology,  a 
solar  year  is  360  days.  A  "time"  is  360  years;  "times," 
being  plural,  is  twice  a  time,  or  720  years,  and  a  half  time 


THE  SIXTH    CHURCH    AGE,  59 

is  half  of  360,  or  180  years,  the  sum  total  being  1260  years, 
"Or  until  the  Ancient  of  Days  should  sit." — Dan.  VII,  22, 
26,  27. 

When  Pope  Gregory  II  at  Rome  in  717  A.  D.  excom- 
municated Leo,  the  Emperor  and  the  iconoclast  of  the  east- 
ern churches  in  Greece,  the  church  was  divided  into  two 
heads.  The  eastern  churches  are  known  as  the  Greek 
Church,  and  the  Church  at  Rome  as  the  Latin  Church. 

It  is  the  Latin  Church  that  is  under  present  consideration, 
and  it  is  that  branch  or  head  that  was  wounded. 

Rev.  VIII,  3-8— "The  Head  Wounded  nearly  to  death." 
Rev.  XVII,  12-18 — "Received  power  one  hour  with  the 
beast."  Searching  for  the  nature  and  course  of  the  wound, 
we  find  that  the  Reformation  caused  the  wound.  That  move- 
ment, like  the  Papacy,  had  its  beginning  earlier  than  we  can 
trace  and  gradually  grew  until  the  power  of  the  Latin 
Church  at  Rome  was  shaken  from  center  to  circumference. 
The  growth  was  very  gradual,  and  perhaps  as  early  as  the 
ninth  or  tenth  century  after  Christ  was  in  slow  progress, 
taking  root  for  deeper  activity.  The  growth  could  not 
be  otherwise  than  slow  because  it  affected  so  many  peoples. 
When  the  Pope  was  led  into  captivity,  A.  D.  1798,  the  move- 
ment was  gradually  gaining  ground. 

Rev.  XVII,  12 — "Some  of  them  were  to  share  power  with 
the  beast  for  one  hour." 

The  beast,  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  or  Bishops,  had 
power  to  rule,  and  until  the  time  of  the  Pope's  coronation 
in  606  A.  D.,  the  cluirch  had  had  "three  kingdoms  plucked 
up."  We  can  see  then  that  some  of  these  kingdoms  were 
resisting  the  authority  of  the  church.  While  we  have  no 
history  as  to  the  time  when  the  first  of  these  ten  king- 
doms threw  off  the  papacy,  still  we  are  to  und&rstand  that 
the  one  hour  mentioned  in  Rev.  XVII,  12,  is  only  a  short 
period  of  time,  and  up  to  the  actual  commitment  of  the 
Pope  there  were  only  three  nations  in  Europe  who  had  not 


60  e;schatology. 

in  some  wa}^  thrown  off  his  restrictions  in  secular  or  politi- 
cal affairs.  He  was  still  allowed,  however,  to  retain  his 
ecclesiastical  control.  As  is  the  case  even  at  present  in  our 
own  country,  the  United  States,  the  Catholic  Church  is  ac- 
corded the  same  privileges  and  protection  that  the  Protest- 
ant Church  enjoys.  The  Pope's  ecclesiastical  authority  is 
respected  and  honored.  But  in  1870  Victor  Emanuel,  king 
of  Italy  divested  the  Pope  of  his  secular  and  political  autho- 
rity, and  it  ceased,  even  in  his  own  country.  The  severe 
struggle  which  has  taken  place  in  France  during  the  last 
two  years  has  accomplished  the  same  object. 

When  the  public  manifestation  of  indignation  against  the 
church  and  the  Pope  made  itself  felt  the  Pope  was  brought 
before  a  tribunal  of  justice  (Dan.  VII,  22-28).  The  actual 
verdict  was  rendered  in  1798,  when  the  French  army  under 
Berthier  abolished  the  'Papacy  in  Rome  and  proclaimed  a 
republic  there.  Pope  Pius  VI,  who  was  in. power  at  that 
time,  was  put  into  captivity  for  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

Rev.  XIII,  3 — "And  the  deadly  wound  was  healed." 
(Verses  4-11.) 

The  eleventh  verse  should  be  specially  noticed:  "John 
saw  another  beast  coming  up  out  of  the  earth,  and  he  had 
two  horns  like  a  lamb  and  he  spake  as  a  dragon." 

All  of  the  symbols  mentioned  by  either  John  or  Daniel  are 
referred  to  as  coming  up  out  of  the  sea.  Sea  here  means 
people  or  nations.  But  this  last  beast  comes  out  of  the 
earth,  a  term  the  opposite  of  sea,  so  that  it  signifies  an  unin- 
habited portion  of  the  globe.  Without  doubt  it  has  reference 
to  the  western  continent.  "It  was  like  a  lamb,"  and  as  a 
lamb  always  represents  gentleness,  so  this  figure  would  in- 
dicate the  peaceful  manner  in  which  the  United  States  has 
developed  into  national  existence.  "The  two  horns"  symbo- 
lize North  and  South  America. 

Verse  18  says,  "And  his  number  is  666,  and  it  is  the  num- 
ber of  a  man." 


THE  SIXTH    CHURCH    AGE.  61 

This  surely  has  reference  to  the  Latin  Church  and  the 
Papacy.  The  Head  of  the  Papacy  "had  been  wounded 
nearly  to  death,  but  was  healed,"  The  Pope  had  been  di- 
vested of  his  political  power  and  his  influence  over  most  of 
the  nations  of  Europe,  but  it  was  partly  restored,  and  the 
Papacy  still  exists.  It  must  be  learned  how  the  wound  was 
healed. 

In  1492  the  western  continent  was  discovered  by  Colum- 
bus, who  was  a  Roman  Catholic,  Spain  was  tributary  to  the 
Latin  Church,  and  it  was  through  the  assistance  of  Queen 
Isabella  and  Ferdinand,  sovereigns  of  Spain,  that  Colum- 
bus was  equipped  for  the  voyage.  And  at  the  earliest  oppor- 
tunity the  'Pope  established  his  authority  over  the  Americas 
by  right  of  discovery. 

A  brief  investigation  will  reveal  the  manner  in  which  the 
wound  v%'as  healed. 

Verse  4  says:  "And  they  worshipped  the  dragon,  which 
gave  power  unto  the  beast." 

The  two  Americas  were  the  dragon  which  gave 
power  to  the  beast,  the  Latin  Church. 

By  his  ecclesiastical  authority  the  Papacy  lives.  In  the 
United  States  the  Latin  Church  is  respected  and  protected, 
and  is  given  many  privileges  of  which  the  Pope  is  not  slow 
to  take  advantage.  Educational,  social  and  commercial  in- 
terests of  the  church  have  been  protected  as  thoroughly  here 
as  in  any  country  of  the  world,  and  it  was  by  this  protection 
that  "the  wounded  head  was  healed,"  and  the  church  re- 
stored to  life. 

After  Columbus  returned  to  Spain  and  it  was  known  that 
the  voyage  had  been  a  successful  one,  the  wildest  enthusi- 
asm prevailed  throughout  all  the  nations  of  Europe.  One 
expedition  after  another  was  fitted  out  and  an  effoT-t  made  to 
reach  the  new  world. 

Spain  being  first  on  the  ground  soon  had  exploring  par- 
ties on  their  wav  to  the  new  country.    The  first  one  to  land 


62  ESCHATOLOGY. 

on  the  North  American  mainland  was  that  under  Ponce  de 
Leon  in  1512,  along  the  coast  of  Florida.  Menendez  found- 
ed a  colony  in  Florida  in  1565  and  named  it  St.  Augustine. 
The  United  States  purchased  this  territory  from  Spain  in 
1820  for  $6,500,000. 

Cortez,  a  Spanish  explorer,  discovered  Mexico  and  the 
Californias  in  1543,  and  by  treachery  and  bloodshed  he  cap- 
tured the  wealth  of  the  Montezumas  in  a  few  years  and  took 
possession  of  all  that  country  in  the  name  of  Spain,  and  the 
United  States  in  1854  paid  Mexico  $10,000,000. 

The  next  important  Spanish  discovery  was  that  of  Ferdi- 
nand de  Soto,  w'hen  in  1541  he  first  saw  the  Mississippi 
River,  and  a  vast  amount  of  new  territory  fell  into  Spain's 
hands.  But  in  1798  this  v/as  ceded  to  France  by  treaty,  was 
named  Louisiana  in  honor  of  King  Louis  XIV  and  was  sold 
to  the  United  States  by  France  in  1803  for  $15,000,000.  At 
the  time  of  this  Louisiana  Purchase,  the  territory  was  con- 
trolled by  the  Pope. 

To  sum  it  all  up,  the  United  States  in  1854  had  paid  to 
countries  loyal  to  the  Pope,  the  amount  of  $31,000,000. 

This  does  not  include  the  booty  that  Cortez  received  from 
the  Aztecs  in  Mexico,  when  he  discovered  the  southwestern 
country,  nor  does  it  include  any  other  booty  obtained  from 
other  Spanish  discoveries.  It  can  never  be  known  what  was 
the  amount  of  these.  But  the  sum  paid  to  Latin  countries 
for  their  western  possessions  is  a  vast  amount. 

The  same  had  extended  its  blighting  grasp  over  South 
America.  Pizarro  had  conquered  Peru  and  captured  all  the 
wealth  of  the  Incas.  By  right  of  discovery  all  South  Ameri- 
ca came  as  booty  to  the  Latin  Church.  The  conquests  made 
by  Spain  in  the  new  world  left  her  the  wealthiest  nation  in 
Europe.  And  in  1898,  because  of  the  friendly  attitude  of 
the  United  States  toward  Cuba,  Spain  took  offense  and  de- 
clared war.  The  blowing  up  of  the  Maine,  a  United  States 
man-of-war,  was  the  opening  of  hostilities.    It  was  rumored 


thB  sixth  church  age.  63 

at  the  time  this  occurred  that  a  scheme  had  been  laid  by 
Leo  XIII,  'Pope  of  Rome,  and  his  advisors,  to  rid  them- 
selves of  Cuba  and  the  Philippine  Islands  at  the  expense  of 
the  United  States  government.  If  such  was  the  case,  the 
matter  was  very  cleverly  managed,  for  in  the  treaty  between 
the  two  countries,  the  United  States  paid  Spain  $20,000,000 
for  the  Philippine  Islands,  and  later  assumed,  at  the  instiga- 
tion of  Pope  Pius  X,  the  obligation  to  pay  to  the  priests 
and  the  church  for  personal  and  real  estate  properties  owned 
by  them  in  the  Philippines,  the  sum  of  $8,000,000.  This 
$28,000,000  added  to  the  $31,000,000  previously  paid  to 
Latin  countries  makes  a  total  of  $59,000,000. 

Truly  the  United  States  has  bowed  the  knee.  The  "dra- 
gon has  given  power  unto  the  beast" — to  the  Pope  at  Rome. 

We  have  mentioned  only  incidentally  the  other  advantages 
that  have  occurred  to  the  interest  of  the  Latin  Church  in  the 
United  States..  We  have  stated  the  actual  amount,  as  re- 
corded in  history,  which  the  United  States  has  contributed 
toward  the  succor  and  restoration  of  "the  head  that  was 
wounded  unto  death,  but  was  healed  or  restored  to  life." 
(Rev.  XIII,  3-4.) 

And  through  the  medium  of  commercialism,  the  Church 
of  Rome  is  to  dominate  the  nations  of  the  earth  unto  the 
end.     (Rev.  XVIII.) 


SECOND  SECTION 

(Sixth  Church  Age.) 

The  prophecies  of  Daniel  are  now  to  be  continued. 

Dan.  VIII,  1-8;  20-22. 

Dan.  IV,  10-17;  20-27. 

The  tree  that  Nebuchadnezzar,  King  of  Babylon,  saw  in 
his  dream  represented  his  kingdom.  The  tree  was  cut 
down  and  Babylon  destroyed  by  the  Medes  and  Persians 
in  536  B.  C.  When  this  occurred  the  power  of  this  branch 
of  the  Semitic  people  was  transferred  from  them  to  a  branch 
of  the  Aryan  race  known  as  the  Indo-Europeans — the  Medes 
and  the  Persians. 

Verse  15  says  :  "The  stump  was  left  nevertheless."  Verse 
25,  "Seven  times  shall  pass  over  thee."  (Lev.  XXVI,  21-24). 

Using  the  prophetic  symbol,  360  years  equals  a  "time," 
and  seven  "times"  equals  2520  years.  Or  using  the  lunar 
chronology,  354  years  as  a  "time,"  and  seven  "times"  are 
equal  to  2478  years.  Between  the  2478  years  and  the  pres- 
ent year,  1908,  A.  D.,  (to  which  we  must  add  536,  as  Baby- 
lon fell  536  B.  C,  making  the  total  2444  years  since  Baby- 
lon fell)  there  is  a  difference  of  34  years.  This  then  is 
the  time  that  we  may  expect  to  transpire  before  the  Resto- 
ration of  the  Semitic  Branch  in  the  east. 

Using  the  Julian  system,  or  solar  chronology,  we  have 
2520  years.  Subtracting  from  this  the  2444  years  since  the 
fall  of  Babylon  we  have  76  years  yet  to  come. 

Dan.  IV,  25,  26. 

Verse  26  says  that  the  stump  of  the  tree  was  left.  The 
Semitic  race  which  had  ruled  the  world  for  nearly  19  cen- 
turies was  cut  down. 


6(i  ESCHATOLOGY. 

Rev.  XVII,  1-6— The  Mystery,  Babylon  the  Great.  In 
verse  3  John  "saw  a  scarlet  colored  beast  with  seven  heads 
and  ten  horns,  and  a  woman  sat  upon  the  beast,"  and  upon 
her  forehead  was  written  Mystery,  Babylon  the  Great." 

The  woman  represents  the  pagan  religion  and  the  beast 
with  the  seven  heads  seven  political  kingdoms.  The  ten 
horns  are  the  ten  political  divisions  of  Europe.  And  they 
all  committed  fornication  with  the  woman.  (Rev.  XVII, 
12-18). 

Dan.  IV,  25,  26. 

Rev.  XVII,  7-8. 

In  verse  8  "the  beast  that  thou  sawest  was  (implying  fu- 
ture tense)  is  not  (present  tense)  cut  down  for  awhile.  But 
is  yet  to  ascend  (future  tense)  out  of  the  bottomless  pit  and 
go  into  perdition." 

In  verse  9  the  seven  heads  are  seven  mountains,  meaning 
seven  kingdoms  where  the  woman  sitteth — and  this  means 
the  seat  of  ecclesiastic  authority  of  the  pagan  religion. 

Verse  10  says,  "There  are  seven  kingdoms."  Five  have 
fallen.  The  sixth  one  was  in  existence  at  the  time  John 
was  writing  Revelation,  96  A.  D.,  and  the  other  is  not  yet 
come.  "And  when  He  cometh  He  must  continue  a  short 
space." 

First  the  seven  kingdoms  must  be  searched  out.  Five  of 
them  were  prior  to  96  A.  D.,  for  John  was  then  living  in  the 
days  of  the  sixth. 

Dan.  VIII,   1-8. 

In  verses  3  and  4,  the  ram  with  the  two  horns  represents 
the  kingdom  of  the  Medes  and  Persians  combined.  They 
come  into  the  arena  of  history  in  536  B.  C,  when  they  de- 
stroyed Babylon. 

Dan.  IV,  22,  23,  25,  26. 

As  has  been  previously  stated,  the  old  Semitic  branch  of 
people  was  cut  off,  and  a  new  one  came  into  power,  the 
Aryan  or  Indo-European  race.     And  they,  the  Aryan  peo- 


THE  SIXTH    CHURCH    AGE,  (i7 

pie  are  to  rule  the  world  until  seven  times  have  passed  away. 
We  start  then  from  this  period  to  find  the  five  kingdoms, 
from  the  time  of  the  Medes  and  Persians,  536  B.  C. 

Dan.  VIII,  5-8;  21-23. 

The  goat  represents  the  Greeks  under  Alexander,  who 
overcame  the  Medes  and  Persians,  332  B.  C.  But  Alexan- 
der's kingdom  was  divided  into  four  parts.  Now  we  have 
the  five  kingdoms,  containing  the  Medes  and  Persians  as 
one.  And  the  Greek  empire  divided  into  four,  each  part 
forming  a  kingdom  of  its  own.  Our  task  now  is  to  find 
the  sixth  kingdom,  for  it  was  in  power  when  John  wrote 
Revelation  in  96  A.  D. 

The  beginning  of  the  history  of  Rome  dates  back  to  753 
B.  C.,  and  for  convenience  has  been  divided  by  historians 
into  three  parts.  The  first  period  was  ruled  by  kings.  The 
second  was  a  republic.  During  the  latter  part  of  the  re- 
public, 62)  B.  C.,  the  Jews  became  tributary  to  Rome.  This 
period  extended  to  the  time  of  Hadrian,  135  A.  D. 

John  wrote  Revelation  in  96  A.  D.,  during  the  period  of 
the  republic,  which  is  the  sixth  kingdom  he  refers  to.  "And 
the  other  or  seventh  is  yet  to  come.  But  He  must  continue  a 
short  space."  (Rev.  XVII,  10).  And  that  kingdom  is  the 
Empire  of  Rome,  whose  history  is  of  so  great  interest  to  the 
student  of  this  matter.  It  extended  from  135  to  479  A.  D. 
"And  it  is  to  continue  a  short  space" — (325  years).  Verse 
1 1,  "And  the  beast  that  was  and  is  not,  even  he  is  the  eighth 
and  of  the  seven,  and  goeth  into  perdition." 

Dan.  IV,  22,23 — "The  old  stump"  means  the  Mystery, 
Babylon  the  Great,  or  the  pagan  religion.  Rev.  XVII,  11, 
"that  was"  implies  past  time.  He  was,  he  existed.  "And  he 
's  not,"  present  time.  He  has  been  removed  or  disappeared. 
But  in  the  future  he  is  to  "arise  again  and  go  into  perdition." 

"He  is  the  eighth  but  cometh  up  out  of  the  seventh." 

This  refers  to  the  origin  of  the  Papacy.  The  empire,  the 
Seventh  Kingdom,  came  in  full  force  of  power  in  135  A.  D. 


68  ESCHATOLOGY. 

and  ended  in  479  A.  D.  The  conditions  which  were  favor- 
able for  the  estabhshing  of  the  Papacy,  the  eighth  kingdom, 
began  in  the  empire,  the  seventh  kingdom,  under  the  reign 
of  Constantine,  when  he  favored  the  Christian  Church  at 
Rome  and  made  it  a  preferred  reHgion  of  the  imperial  court. 
This  event  is  known  as  the  uniting  of  church  and  state. 
And  a  further  impetus  was  given  in  330  A.  D.,  when  the 
seat  of  government  was  removed  from  Rome  to  Byzantine, 
this  leaving  the  affairs  of  the  Roman  government  largely  in 
the  hands  of  the  bishops  at  Rome. 

When  Constantine  died  the  empire  was  transmitted  to 
his  three  sons,  Constans,  Constantinus  and  Constantine.  The 
empire  was  divided  among  them,  which  led  to  war,  and  at 
the  end  of  sixteen  years,  Constantinus  was  master  of  the 
whole  empire.  He  died  after  ruling  eight  years.  Then 
Julian,  his  cousin,  who  is  called  the  Apostate,  ascended  the 
throne.  He  had  once  embraced  the  Christian  religion,  but 
had  apostatized.  He  introduced  into  the  empire  Polytheism 
or  Iconoclastes,  meaning  image-worship.  Thus  we  see  the 
pagan  religion  again  made  the  religion  of  the  imperial  court. 

Dan.  IV,  26 — The  old  stump. 

Rev.  XVn,  7-18— Mystery,  Babylon  the  Great. 

This  brought  about  a  severe  contention  between  the 
churches  of  Greece  in  the  east  and  the  church  at  Rome  in 
the  west.  The  latter  church  had  introduced  image  worship, 
which  the  Greek  churches  repudiated.  Now  since  Bishop 
Boniface  of  Rome  had  been  crowned  Pope  of  the  Roman 
Church  (606  A.  D.)  this  church  had  received  an  increase  of 
power  and  authority,  and  when  the  Greek  church  refused 
to  install  image  worship  in  its  services  (716  A.  D.)  Pope 
Gregory  excommunicated  the  emperor  Leo  at  Constantinople 
and  all  the  churches  in  Greece.  This  caused  a  division  in 
the  Catholic  Church,  and  it  has  ever  since  had  two  branches, 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church  and  the  Greek  Church. 


THIRD  SECTION 

(Sixth  Church  Age.) 

Daniel's  prophecies  in  the  third  year  of  the  reign  of 
Belshazzar,  King  of  Babylon : 

Dan.  VIII,  3,  4 — Daniel's  vision  of  the  ram.  Verse  3 — 
"He  saw  a  ram  with  two  horns,"  and  one  of  the  horns  was 
higher  than  the  other.  Daniel  is  again  using  a  s^inbol.  The 
two  horns  represent  the  kingdoms  of  Media  and  Persia,  the 
ram  the  two  kingdoms  combined.  Verse  A — "He  saw  the 
ram  pushing  westward,  northward  and  southward,  so  that 
no  beast  (kingdom)  could  stand  before  him,  and  he  became 
great."  This  shows  the  manner  in  which  the  Medes  and 
Persians  conquered  the  nations  around  them.  Babylon  be- 
came a  tributary  nation  in  536  B,  C,  and  from  that  year 
until  332  B.  C.  the  Medes  and  Persians  were  in  the  ascend- 
ency in  that  part  of  the  world.  This  is  known  as  the  Per- 
sian Era. 

Dan.  VIII,  20 — "The  ram  was  the  king  of  Media  and 
Persia." 

Dan.  VIII,  5-8 ;  21,  22— The  vision  of  the  goat.  Verse  5— 
"Daniel  saw  a  goat  and  he  came  from  the  west.  He  had  one 
notable  horn  and  he  touched  not  the  ground,"  etc.  "The 
goat  is  the  king  of  Greece  in  the  west  of  Europe ;  the  great 
horn,  the  first  king,"  "And  he  touched  not  the  ground"  in- 
dicates the  rapidity  with  which  his  expeditions  of  war  were 
conducted,  and  refers  to  the  Greeks  under  Alexander  the 
Great,  who  in  a  few  years  subdued  Media  and  Persia  in  Asia 
Minor,  also  Tyre,  Palestina,  Egypt  and  even  a  part  of  East 
India.  Alexander  lived  only  a  few  years  after  his  brilliant 
conquest  and  his  kingdom  was  divided  among  his  four  gen- 


70  ESCHATOIvOGY. 

erals.  Cassander  governed  Greece,  Tysimachus  Thrace,  and 
the  western  part  of  Asia,  Seleucus  Nicator,  Syria  and  the 
countries  to  India,  and  Ptolemy,  Egypt.  (Dan,  VIII,  8-22). 
This  is  the  Greek  Era,  from  332—198  B.  C. 

Dan.  VIII,  9-12 ;  23-27— Verse  9— "And  out  of  one  of  the 
fourth  kingdoms  (Arabia)  comes  a  little  horn  which  waxed 
exceeding  great  toward  the  south,  toward  the  east  and  to- 
ward the  pleasant  land." 

This  little  horn  represents  the  Moslem  or  Saracen  king- 
dom, which  arose  from  the  kingdom  of  Seleucus  Nicator, 
one  of  the  four  generals.  It  was  under  the  leadership  of 
Mohammed  the  prophet  that  the  Moslems  came  into  power. 
Mohammed  was  born  in  570  A.  D.,  at  Mecca  in  Arabia.  He 
was  a  wealthy  merchant  of  that  city,  and  was  converted  to 
Christianity  in  622  A.  D.  He  died  in  632  A.  D.,  only  ten 
years  after  he  embraced  Christianity.  But  the  Saracens 
under  his  leadership  had  taken  the  countries. of  Egypt,  Tyre 
and  Persia,  and  'Palestine,  the  "pleasant  land,"  had  fallen 
into  his  power,  the  city  of  Jerusalem  being  captured  in  607 
A.  D.     (Dan.  VIII,  9,  23,  24). 

The  war,  however,  did  not  cease  with  Mohammed's  death. 
For  a  century  the  conquest  was  carried  on  by  the  Saracens 
under  the  leadership  of  several  caliphs,  who  were  members 
of  Hegira.  They  attempted  to  invade  Europe  at  Constanti- 
nople on  the  Bosporus  in  Greece  (673-677  A.  D.),  but  were 
driven  back  by  the  personal  heroism  of  Leo,  the  Isaurian, 
emperor  of  the  eastern  empire,  who  won  a  complete  victory 
over  them.  This  important  event  saved  Constantinople  and 
the  invasion  of  Europe  for  several  centuries. 

As  the  Saracens  had  failed  in  their  attempt  to  invade 
eastern  Europe  they  turned  their  attention  to  the  western 
part,  and  gained  a  foothold  in  Spain  in  711  A.  D.  At  once 
they  began  to  plan  further  invasions,  and  at  length  crossed 
the  Pyrenese  and  established  themselves  upon  the  plains  of 
Gaul.     However,  the  Franks  and  their  allies,  under  their 


the;  sixth  church  age;.  71 

leader,  Charles  Martel,  met  the  Moslems  upon  the  plains  of 
Tour  in  Gaul,  and  completely  defeated  them,  forcing  them 
to  return  to  Spain,  Thus  was  the  Christian  civilization  saved 
to  Europe, 

But  later,  as  the  power  of  the  eastern  empire  began  to 
fail,  Constantinople  was  again  invaded,  this  time  by  the 
Turks  (1453  A.  D.)  who  were  of  a  different  nationality,  but 
who  were  followers  of  Mohammed.  They,  encouraged  by 
the  capture  of  Macedonia  and  Greece  in  Europe,  made  a  sec- 
ond invasion  as  late  as  1683  into  the  province  of  Austria. 
But  at  Vienna  they  were  defeated  by  the  Christians  under 
John  Sobieski,  and  were  driven  back  to  Constantinople, 
which  territory  they  have  held  ever  since  their  first  invasion 
in  1453.  The  sultan  has  made  that  city  his  seat  of  power,  or 
the  capital  of  Turkey. 

During  the  conquest  at  the  beginning  of  the  15th  centurv, 
Palestine,  the  "pleasant  land,"  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
Turks,  the  city  being  captured  in  1453,  And  Jerusalem,  the 
holy  city,  remains  under  the  sovereignty  of  the  sultan  today. 
(Dan.  XI,  36-45).  However,  there  was  a  feeble  effort 
made  to  wrest  the  Holy  Land  from  Moslem  power  during 
the  tenth  and  twelfth  centuries  by  the  Christians  in  Europe, 
known  as  the  War  of  the  Crusaders. 

The  power  of  the  Moslems  shall  be  "a  time,  times  and  a 
half  time."  (Dan,  XH,  5-7.)  Using  the  prophetic  symbol, 
a  day  equals  a  year.  According  to  the  Julian  system  of 
chronology,  a  solar  year  (360  days)  equals  360  years.  A 
time,  then,  is  360  years,  a  double  time  720  years,  and  a  half 
time  180  years,  the  sum  total  being  1260  years. 

Dan.  Vni,  9-12,  23-27. 

Dan.  XI,  36-45. 

The  Moslem  rule  began  in  607  A.  D.,  when  Mohammed 
took  Jerusalem.  And  its  power  shall  endure  1260  years,  at 
the  end  of  which  period  it  shall  begin  to  wane.  At  the  ap- 
pointed time  (the  end  of  the  1260  years,  in  1798)  the  French 


72  ESCHATOLOGY. 

under  Napoleon  invaded  Egypt  and  the  Holy  Land,  and  held 
them  for  several  years. 

Observe  what  a  parallel  history  the  Latin  Church  at  Rome 
and  the  Saracens  under  Mohammed  at  Mecca  have  had. 
The  papacy  was  established  in  606  A.  D.  and  extended  to 
1798,  when  "the  head  was  wounded  unto  death,"  but  re- 
vived, which  means  that  the  Pope  was  shorn  of  his  political 
power,  but  still  retained  his  ecclesiastical  prestige.  His  politi- 
cal authority  was  wrested  from  him  in  1798  when  the  French 
under  Berthier  arrested  Pope  Pius  VI  and  carried  him  away 
from  Rome  in  captivity. 

The  Moslem  kingdom  began  607  A.  D.  when  the  Sara- 
cens under  Mohammed  captured  the  Holy  City  Jerusalem 
This  was  re-taken  by  the  French  under  Napoleon  in  1798. 

But  the  power  of  the  Sultan  was  not  entirely  broken.  He 
is  called  the  Sick  Old  Man  of  Europe,  his  political  power 
is  waning,  but  he  will  retain,  though  feebly,-  his  hold  until 
the  end. 

By  some  writers  it  is  thought  that  the  Sultan's  seat  of 
government  will  be  changed  from  Constantinople  in  Europe 
to  Jerusalem  in  Palestine,  before  the  end  comes. 

Dan.  XI,  40-45 — (Note  particularly  verse  45.) 

At  the  present  time  a  struggle  is  going  on  between  the 
Sultan  of  Turkey  and  ^Prince  Ferdinand,  the  ruler  over  Bul- 
garia, in  Southeastern  Europe.  How  their  struggle  will 
affect  the  political  influences  of  these  powers  in  the  far 
east  cannot  be  predicted,  but  the  event  is  of  great  interest. 

The  Czar  of  Russia  is  also  concerned  in  this  struggle. 
For  many  years  Russia  has  been  jealous  of  the  strategic 
point,  Constantinople  on  the  Bosporus.  The  removal  of  the 
Turks  from  Macedonia  would  give  Russia  an  outlet  to  the 
southern  countries,  and  would  greatly  further  Russia's  com- 
mercial interests  with  those  countries.  Russia  has  made  re- 
peated attempts  to  capture  this  point,  but  the  other  Euro- 


THE  SIXTH    CHURCH    AGE.  73 

pean  powers  have  prevented  her  from  accompHshing  her 
purpose.  It  is  suspected,  however,  that  during  the  recent 
visit  of  King  Edward  of  England  to  the  Czar,  a  movement 
of  this  kind  was  secretly  planned. 


FOURTH  SECTION 

(Sixth  Church  Age.) 

We  hve  had  for  consideration  chapters  II,  IV,  VII  and 
VIII  of  Daniel,  a  complete  history  in  prophecy  of  the  Gen- 
tile nations  of  the  earth.  In  chapter  XI  there  is  a  summing 
up  of  all  important  events  which  are  to  transpire. 

Verses  1  and  2  give  the  history  of  the  jMedes  and  Per- 
sians (536  B.  C,  332  B.  C.)  known  as  the  Persians  Era. 

Verses  3  and  4,  the  history  of  the  Greeks,  (332  B.  C,  198 
B.  C.)  known  as  the  Persian  Era,  including  the  Syrian  Era; 
(198-168  B.  C.)  Also  the  Maccabean  Era  (168-63  B.  C.) 
These  are  combined  into  the  same  era. 

Verses  5-19,  history  of  the  latter  part  of  the  Roman 
Republic.  "Kings  of  the  North"  is  the  title  applied  to  the 
remarkable  leaders,  Julius  Caesar,  Pompey,  Anthony  and 
others.  The  Ptolemies  in  Egypt  are  called  Kings  of  the 
South,  and  there  is  given  the  history  of  the  Ptolemies  and 
Cleopatra  in  the  Punic  Wars. 

Verses  20-29,  history  of  the  Roman  Empire,  or  King  of 
the  North,  and  the  Vandals  in  Egypt,  or  King  of  the  South. 
The  important  event  is  the  overthrow  of  the  Vandals  in 
Egypt. 

Verses  30-35,  history  of  the  Papacy.  The  important 
events  that  transpired  during  the  Dark  Ages  of  history, 
known  as  the  King  of  the  North. 

Verses  36-39,  history  of  the  Moslems,  or  Kings  of  the 
South.  The  important  events  were  the  invasion  of  Holy 
Land  or  Palistine  by  the  Saracens  and  their  capture  of  Jeru- 
salem, 607  A.  D.,  and  their  struggle  at  Tours  in  France,  732 
A.  D. 


7^  ESCHATOLCXiY. 

Verses  40-45,  history  of  the  Turks.  Important  events  the 
Battle  of  Constantinople  in  1453  and  the  efforts  made  to 
expel  the  Turks  from  Europe,  on  their  invasion  of  Austria 
in  1683.  And  also  in  1798,  when  the  French  invaded  Egypt 
and  the  Holy  Land. 


FIFTH  SECTION 

(Sixth  Church  Age.) 

We  have  had  for  consideration  Daniel  II,  IV,  VII,  VIII 
and  XI,  which  give  Daniel's  prophecies  regarding  the  Gen- 
tile nations  and  the  most  important  events  that  are  to  trans- 
pire from  536  B.  C,  the  beginning  of  the  Persian  Empire, 
to  the  end  of  time. 

Now  we  will  study  the  peculiar  relation  which  God's  peo- 
ple, the  Jews,  are  to  have  toward  the  Gentiles,  and  the 
important  events  that  are  to  transpire  in  the  coming  ages 
relative  to  the  Jews. 

Dan.  IX — Prophecy  of  the  Seventy  Weeks.  Verse  25, 
Daniel  says  it  shall  be  seventy  weeks  from  the  time  the 
Decree  was  made  until  the  coming  of  the  Messiah. 

The  Decree  was  written  by  Cyrus,  king  of  Persia,  in  the 
first  year  after  his  victory  over  Babylon  (Ezra  I,  1-14),  and 
it  is  said  that  about  60,000  Jews  returned  at  that  time,  but 
the  remainder  continued  to  dwell  in  the  realms  of  Persia. 
The  reason  for  this,  tradition  tells  us,  was  that  after  Baby- 
lon fell  under  the  power  of  Persia,  (536  B.  C.)  Cyrus  lost 
his  life  while  engaged  in  an  expedition  against  the  Scythian 
tribes  of  the  north  (529  B.  C.)  Then  came  the  reign  of 
Cambyses,  son  of  Cyrus,  529-522  B.  C.  During  the  few 
years  of  his  reign  he  carried  on  expeditions  against  Eg}'pt 
in  Africa,  and  being  unsuccessful  in  this,  he  took  his  own 
life.  He  was  followed  by  Darius  I,  521-484  B.  C,  who 
fitted  up  two  expeditons  against  the  Greeks,  but  was  de- 
feated. Darius  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Xerxes,  484-464 
B.  C.  Like  his  father,  he  commanded  an  unsuccessful  expe- 
dition aeainst  Greece. 


78  ESCHATOLOGY. 

The  reign  of  Artaxerxes,  464-359  B.  C.  (see  book  of 
Esther)  was  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  Persia  that  she 
was  at  peace  with  other  nations,  and  was  the  only  time  that 
was  favorable  for  the  exodus  of  the  Jews  from  Persia. 

Nehemiah  was  cup  bearer  to  Ahaseurus,  the  king,  and  was 
in  favor  with  him.  So  during  the  reign  of  Artaxerxes  in 
456  B.  C,  occurred  the  Great  Reformation,  under  the  lead- 
ership of  Nehemiah.  (Nehemiah  I  and  II.) 

At  this  time  then,  456  B.  C,  begins  the  period  of  the  sev- 
enty weeks,     (Dan.  IX,  25). 

Using  the  prophetical  symbol  a  day  for  a  year,  one  day 
equals  one  year.  There  are  seven  days  in  a  week,  and 
seventy  prophetical  weeks  equal  seven  times  seventy 
weeks,  or  490  years,  which  is  the  time  foretold  until  the 
coming  of  the  Messiah.  Notice  particularly  the  manner 
in  which  Daniel  divides  this  period. 

First  he  says  "It  shall  be  seven  weeks."  If  a  day  equals 
a  year,  then  49  days  or  seven  weeks  equals  49  years.  Dur- 
ing this  time  the  walls  of  Jerusalem  were  rebuilt. 

Next  he  says,  "It  is  three  score  and  two  weeks," 

Seven  times  62  weeks  equals  434  years,  or  until  27  A. 
D.,  when  the  Messiah  was  baptized  or  anointed  for  his 
ministry,  or  priestly  office.  (Matt.  Ill,  2  -17,  "The  anoint- 
ing of  Christ")  (In  verse  26:)  "And  after  62  weeks  shall  the 
Messiah  be  cut  off." 

Thirdly,  he  says  (verse  27)  "for  one  week,"  or  seven 
years,  "Christ  is  to  confirm  the  covenant  with  many" — 
preach  the  Gospel  to  many. 

"In  the  midst  of  the  one  week  he  shall  cause  the  sacri- 
fice and  the  oblation  to  cease,  and  the  abomination  that 
maketh  Desolate  shall  be  poured  upon  the  Desolate,"  etc. 

Our  Lord's  ministry  consumes  one-half  of  the  week,  or 
three  and  a  half  years.  During  the  remaining  half  "the 
covenant   was  to  be  confirmed     with     many — the   Gospel 


THE  SIXTH    CHURCH    AGE.  79 

preached  to  many.      (Acts  II,  particularly  verses  37-47.) 
This  ends  the  period  of  the  seventy  weeks  and  brings 
us  down  to  34  B.  C. 

Dan.  VII,  7;  II  34,  35,  40,  44,  45. 
Mark  XV.— "Crucifixion  of  Christ." 
Dan.  IX,  26-27— Again  notice  the  wording— "At  the  end 
of  three  score  or  sixty-two  weeks"  (483  years)  "and  in 
the  midst  of  the  week"  (seven  years)  "the  Messiah,  the 
Prince  is  cut  ofif,"  referring  to  the  crucifixion  of  Christ, 
34  A.  D. 

But  Christ  is  not  to  be  cut  ofit'  for  Himself,  "but  the  city 
and  the  Sanctuary,  by  the  people  of  the  Prince  that  shall 
come  and  destroy  many,  and  the  end  shall  be  with  a  flood." 
The  word  sactuary  here  refers  to  the  crucifixion  of 
Christ,  34  A.  D.,  and  the  Oblation  or  Sacrifice  shall  cease 
and  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  or  the  Jews,  which  oc- 
curred in  72  A.  D.,  by  Titus,  a  Roman  general.  The  peo- 
ple of  the  Prince  that  shall  accomplish,  this  are  none  other 
than  the  Romans.— Mat.  XXVII,  46-54;  Luke  XXIH, 
44-49. 

"And  unto  the  end  of  the  war  desolation  are  determined." 
Matt.   XXIV,   15-22,   Christ  gives   sanction  to   Daniel's 
prophecy  concerning  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem. 

In  connection  with  Dan.  IX,  we  introduced  Rev.  XI,  1-14, 
"the  two  witnesses  prophesy."  In  verses  1  and  2  the 
angel  is  commannded  to  measure  the  temple,  but  the  court 
on  the  outside  was  not  to  be  measured." 

"It  was  given  unto  the  Gentiles  to  be  trodden  under 
foot,"  "  for  forty  and  two  months." 

Using  the  symbol,  a  prophetical  day  for  a  year,  a  month, 
or  thirty  days   equals   thirty   years  and    forty-two   months 
is  forty-two  times  thirty  years,  or  1260  years. 
Rev.  XII,  6. 


80  ESCHATOLOGY. 

Then  this  period  of  1260  years  is  to  begin  in  72  A.  D., 
when  the  church  or  the  Jews  were  led  into  in  the  wilderness 
or  dispersed,  and  were  scattered  throughout  the  ten  king- 
doms of  Europe. 

"This  is  the  place  that  God  had  prepared  to  feed  and 
keep  His  people  until  they  were  thus  scattered." 

Dan.  XII,  9-13.— "Until  God  shall  scatter  His  people," 
they  go  as  missionaries  among  these  nations.  In  verse 
11,  Daniel  says  it  shall  be  1290  days.  This  refers  to  the 
same  period,  using  again  the  symbol,  a  day  for  a  year, 
would  equal  1290  years.  But  Daniel  begins  with  34A.  D., 
the  crucifixion  of  Christ.  There  is  a  difference  of  thirty 
years  between  the  dates  given  us  by  Daniel  and  by  the 
author  of  Revelation,  1290  years  and  1260  years,  but  we 
can  see  at  a  glance  that  they  are  the  same.  The  difference 
between  34  A.  D.,  when  Christ  was  crucified,  and  72  A.  D., 
v/hen  Jerusalem  was  destroyed,  is  a  little  more  than  30 
years.  But  there  is  no  discrepancy  between  the  two  state- 
ments, nor  can  there  be  any  doubt  as  to  their  referring  to 
the  same  period  of  time.  And  it  is  understood  that  this 
period  is  the  early  beginning  of  the  Reformation  that  is  to 
spring  up  in  the  kingdoms  of  Europe.  Daniel  must  have  so 
imderstood  it.  Dan.  XII,  12.  For  this  last  statement 
would  extend  the  time  until  the  Reformation  was  thor- 
oughly established. 

Below  is  a  list  of  some  of  the  early  reformers,  and  the 
place  and  time  of  their  work. 

The  early  beginning  of  Reformation. 

The  Moravians,  an  evangelical  Christian  Church  in  Sax- 
ony, Germany,  1457. 

Theodore  Baza,  at  Bezley,  France,  1548. 

Peter  Martin,  1542. 

John  Calvin,  1529. 

John  Knox  in  Scotland,  1542. 


THE  SIXTH   CHURCH    AGE.  81 

Wm.  Tyndale  in  England,  1525. 

Martin  Luther  in  Germany,  1507. 

Ulrich  Zwingli  in  Switzerland,  1517. 

John  Huss  in  Bohemia,  1345. 

John  Wy cliff e  in  England,  1348. 

Jerome  in  Prague,  1400. 

New  Jerusalem  Church — Baron   Swedenburg,    1188. 

The  Reformation  in  England  by  King  Henry  VIII,  1525. 

The  Waldenses  by  Peter  Waldo  at  Lyons,  France,  1170. 

This  was  the  strongest  body  of  Protestants  in  all  Europe 
at  that  time.  They  lived  at  Patine  in  the  Alps.  Pope 
Innocent  III  of  Rome  ordered  a  crusade  against  them  in 
1205. 

It  is  certain  that  both  Daniel  and  John  refer  to  this 
period  of  time. 

Dan.  XII,  9-13  and  Rev.  XI,  3;  XII,  6. 

As  was  stated  above,  the  thirty  years  difference  in  the 
two  dates  is  caused  by  Daniel  beginning  with  the  Cruci- 
fixion (34  A.  D.)  and  John  from  the  destruction  of  Jeru- 
salem by  Titus  (72  A.  D.).  Allowing  for  this,  the  time 
i^  identical. 

We  will  now  consider  Rev.  XII,  1 :  "The  Vision  of  the 
Great  Red  Dragon."  "And  there  appeared  in  Heaven  a 
great  wonder,  a  woman  clothed  with  the  Sun  and  the  Moon 
under  feet,  and  upon  her  head  a  crown  of  twelve  stars." 

In  this  symbol  the  woman  represents  the  Church,  and 
the  Sun  refers  to  the  Gospel  dispensation.  The  'Moon  is 
the  Law  dispensation,  and  the  crown  of  12  stars  to  the  12 
tribes  of  Israel.  At  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  the  Law, 
cr  Old  Testament  dispensation,  came  to  an  end,  or  was 
overshadowed  by  the  Gospel  or  New  Testament  dispensa- 
tion, called  the  Gospel  Age. 

6 


82  ESCHATOIvOGY. 

Verse  2 — "And  she  being  with  child  cried,  travaihng  in 
birth  and  pain  to  be  delivered."  Christ  the  Son  of  God 
had  appeared  unto  the  world  to  establish  His  kingdom  of 
righteousness,  the  Gospel  upon  earth.  And  Zion,  the  Moon, 
or  Law  dispensation,  travaileth  in  birth,  and  out  of  her 
womb  the  Messiah  was  born  unto  the  world. 

Verse  3 — "And  there  appeared  another  wonder  in  Heav- 
en, and  behold,  a  great  red  dragon,  having  seven  heads  and 
ten  horns,  and  seven  crowns  upon  his  head." 

The  red  dragon  refers  to  Satan,  the  Devil.  Rev.  XH,  9. 
The  seven  heads  are  the  seven  political  kingdoms  that  we 
have  under  consideration;  the  ten  horns  the  political  divi- 
sions that  came  up  in  Europe.  The  seven  crowns  are  the 
ecclesiastical  or  false  religious  influences  that  had  sat  upon 
the  heads  of  the  seven  great  political  powers  ruling  the 
earth,  and  that  were  to  continue  to  sit  upon  the  heads  of 
the  ten  political  kingdoms  of  Europe. 

Rev.  XVI,  12-1^1 — "And  I  saw  three  unclean  frogs  come 
out  of  the  mouth  of  the  dragon  and  out  of  the  mouth  of 
the  beast  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  false  prophet." 

The  world  from  the  beginning  of  history  has  been  dom- 
inated by  three  great  false  religions,  the  dragon,  or  'Pagan- 
ism, the  beast,  or  Papacy,  and  the  false  prophet,  or  Mo- 
hammedenism. 

Rev.  XH,  4,  5— "The  Fallen  Angels."  Verse  4— "And 
He  drew  the  third  part  of  the  stars  of  heaven  and  did  cast 
them  upon  earth." 

n   Peter  H,  4— The  Fallen  Angels. 

Jude  6 — The  Fallen  Angels. 

Isaiah  XIV,  4-23. 

Rev.  XII,  5 — "And  she  brought  forth  a  man  child." 

Isaiah  IX,  1-8 — Christ's  birth  and  kingdom. 

Luke  II,  1-14— "The  birth  of  Christ." 

Rev.  XI,  4 — The  two  olive  trees. 


the;  sixth  church  age.  83 

Zech,  IV — The  Two  Witnesses  (referring  to  same  inci- 
dent). The  first  witness  is  to  prophesy  forty-two  months 
or  1260  years.  This  is  the  law  dispensation,  and  ends  at 
the  coming  of  Christ.  The  representative  head  of  "Zion," 
or  the  Law  dispensation,  was  John  Baptist.  Mai.  Ill,  1-6. 
The  fore-runner  of  Christ. 

Mat.  III. 

Rev.  XI,  3,4 — "The  second  witness  was  to  prophesy  one 
thousand  two  hundred  and  three-score  days,  or  1260 
years." 

Rev.  XII,  6 — "And  the  woman  fled  into  the  wilderness." 
This  is  the  Church  or  Gospel  dispensation,  and  its  repre- 
sentative head  is  Christ. 

Rev.  XI,  5-13 — Their  personal  testimony.  Verses  7-13. 
The  active  personal  ministry  of  both  John  Baptist  and 
Christ  our  Lord  was  three  and  a  half  years.  Verse  9 — 
"John  says  three  and  a  half  days,"  which  means  three  and 
a  half  years. 

Matt.  Ill,  11-17— John's  testimony  of  Christ. 

Matt.  XI,  1-14 — Christ's  testimony  of  John. 

Rev.  XI,  8 — "And  their  dead  bodies  shall  lie  in  the 
streets  of  the  great  city,  which  spiritually  is  called  Sodom 
and  Egypt,  where  also  our  Lord  was  crucified."  It  is 
tiue  that  John  Baptist  was  beheaded  by  Herod  a  short  time 
before  Christ's  death.  And  our  Lord  was  crucified  by 
Filate  at  the  request  of  the  Jews  in  Jerusalem,  34  A.  D. 

Rev.  XI,  14 — "The  second  Woe  is  past,  and  behold  the 
third  Woe  cometh  quickly." 

At  this  time  with  the  crucifixion  of  Christ,  the  second 
woe  is  to  end. 

Matt.  XXVII,  46-5-1— Christ's  crucifixion. 

Luke  XXIII,  44-48. 

Rev.  VIII,  13 — Remember  the  Wail  of  the  three  Woes. 
As  there  were  only  seven  angels  who  had  trumpets  to  sound 


84  ESCHATOIvOGY. 

(the  first  four  trumpets  had  sounded  prior  to  the  Fifth 
Church  Age),  and  as  these  woes  were  to  come  under  the 
last  three  angels  to  sound  their  trumpets.  These  three 
Woes,  then,  would  begin  with  the  blast  of  the  fifth  angel's 
trumpet,  and  that  was  at  the  beginning  of  Sardis,  the  fifth 
church  age,  in  721  B.  C,  and  the  first  Woe  then  begins 
with  the  captivity  of  Judah  by  Babylon  in  606  B.  C.  The 
first  Woe  lasted  five  months,  or  a  period  of  150  years. 
(Rev.  IX,  5.)  This  covers  the  period  from  606  B.  C.  to 
456  B.  C,  the  time  of  the  Great  Reformation  under  Ne- 
hemiah,  in  the  time  of  Artaxerxes,  king  of  Persia. 

Rev.  IX,  12— "The  first  Woe  is  past."  The  second  Woe 
begins  with  that  date,  456  B.  C,  and  extends  to  the  cruci- 
fixion of  the  Messiah,  34  A.  D.,  a  period  equal  to  456 
years. 

"The  third  and  last  Wail  of  Woe  is  to  come  quickly." 

Rev.  XI,  U — "Behold  the  last  Woe  cometh  quickly." 

Ezek.  XVI — Read  the  whole  chapter,  then  verses  21-23. 

The  destruction  of  Jerusalem  (72  A.  D.).  Luke  XXI, 
20-24,  32,  33. 

Christ  phophesying  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  in  72  A. 
D.,  by  the  Romans.  At  this  time  He  prophesies  also  of 
His  second  coming  in  the  latter  days,  or  the  end.  (Luke 
XXI,  5-19;  25-31.) 

Rev.  XII,  6-17.    Then  12-14— The  last  Woe. 

Rev.  XII,  3-14 — "The  woman  fled  into  the  wilderness" 
(verse  6)  "where  she  hath  a  place  prepared  of  God,  that 
they  should  feed  her  there  a  thousand  two  hundred  and 
three-score  days." 

Using  the  symbol  again,  a  day  for  a  year,  this  period 
equals  1260  years.  It  begins  in  72  A,  D.,  when  the  Romans 
destroyed  Jerusalem  and  led  the  Jews  away  into  captivity, 
they  go  as  missionaries  among  the  nations  of  Europe.  And 
this  period,  1260  years,  extends  also  to  the  beginning  of 
the  Reformation. 


SIXTH    CHURCH    AGE.  85 

Dan.  XII,  9-13,  and  verse  7— "And  when  God  shall  have 
accomplished  to  scatter  the  power  of  His  holy  people,  all 
these  things  shall  be  finished." 

This  event  is  to  begin  34  A.  D.,  when  the  Messiah  was 
crucified,  and  extends  to  the  beginning  of  the  Reformation. 
In  verse  11  Daniel  says  there  are  a  thousand  two  hundred 
and  ninety  days,  which  equals  1290  years.  In  verse  12, 
"Blessed  is  He  that  waiteth  and  cometh  unto  the  thousand 
three  hundred  and  thirty-five  days,"  which  would  extend 
the  time  until  the  Reformation  was  thoroughly  established. 

The  ancient  Chaldeans  or  Babylonians  were  of  the 
Semitic  branch  or  race  of  people,  "and  were  cut  off" 
by  the  kingdom  of  Persia  in  536  B.  C.  The  Persians  were 
of  the  Aryan  or  Caucasian  race,  known  as  Indo-Europeans. 
(Dan.  IV,  25,  26,  "Until  seven  times  should  pass  over 
them.")  Like  these,  the  Jews  also  were  of  the  Semitic 
race,  and  like  the  Babylonians  the  Semitic  race  had  gov- 
erned the  nations  in  Asia  Minor — ever  since  the  deluge. 

"And  now  the  power  of  God's  holy  people  was  to  be 
scattered  until  all  things  shall  be  finished." 

Dan.  VIII,  13,14:  "A  vision  concerning  the  daily  sacri- 
fice and  the  transgression  of  the  desolation  to  the  trodden 
under  foot." 

"Both  the  sanctuary  and  the  host."  The  sanctuary  refers 
to  the  crucifixion,  34  A,  D.,  and  the  host  to  the  Holy  Peo- 
ple, who  were  cut  off  in  72  A.  D. 

Verse  1^1 — "And  the  angel  said  unto  Daniel,  unto  two 
thousand  three  hundred  days,  then  shall  the  sanctuary  be 
cleansed." 

According  to  the  symbolic  day,  which  equals  a  year,  we 
have  a  period  of  2,300  years.  Beginning  with  the  time 
of  Christ's  crucifixion,  34  A.  D.,  it  is  to  be  2300  years 
"until  the  sanctuary  is  cleansed."  Then,  subtracting  1908, 
the  present  year,  from  2300  years,  there  are  yet  remaining 


86  ESCHATOLOGY. 

392  years,  "until  all  these  things  are  finished,"  or  until  the 
beginning  of  the  Millenium,  or  Seventh  Church  Age.  Then 
the  Holy  People,  the  Jews,  shall  have  been  restored  to 
their  own  country,  'Palestine. 

Rev.  XIV,  1-16 — "And  the  angel  with  the  first  sickle 
went  forth  to  reap  the  harvest."  There  could  not  have  been 
a  more  opportune  time  for  reaping,  as  the  Law  dispensa- 
tion was  now  passing  away  and  the  Gospel  Age  was  being 
ushered  in.  For  the  harvest  time  of  the  Law  Age  was 
now  ready,  and  the  number  of  those  that  were  sealed  or 
redeemed  will  now  be  garnered  in. 

Rev.  VII — The  number  of  those  who  were  sealed. 

Ezek.  II,  9,  10;  III,  1-3— The  roll— the  Old  Testament 
scriptures. 

Rev.  X,  1,  2;  8-11— The  New  Testament  Scriptures. 

Rev.  X,  Z-7 — An  angel  with  a  book.  In  verses  3  and  4 
John  says,  "When  the  seven  thunders  had  uttered  their 
voices,  I  was  about  to  write;  but  I  heard  a  voice  from 
Heaven  saying  unto  me.  Seal  up  those  things  which  the 
seven  thunders  uttered  (the  seventh  angel  with  the  trum- 
pet that  is  to  sound  in  the  Seventh  Church  Age,  or  the  Mil- 
lenium) and  write  them  not." 

The  events  that  are  to  occur  in  the  Seventh  Church  Age 
were  not  ready  to  be  revealed,  so  he  was  to  "seal  them 
up,  and  write  them  not."  None  but  Christ,  the  Lamb  of  the 
tribe  of  Judah,  could  open  the  Book,  the  Seventh  Church 
Age,  and  the  time  for  this  had  not  yet  come  into  existence — 
has  not  revealed  itself  to  the  world. 

Verse  7 — "But  in  the  days  of  the  voice  of  the  seventh 
angel,  when  he  shall  begin  to  sound,  the  mystery  of  God 
should  be  finished,  as  he  hath  declared  to  his  servants  the 
prophets." 

Isa.  LXVI— "The  final  restoration  of  Israel." 

At  the  end  of  the  sixth  church  age  this  very  important 


SIXTH    CHURCH    AGK.  87 

event  takes  place — God's  people  are  to  return  again  and 
restore  and  inhabit  their  own  country.  All  other  events 
which  have  transpired  fade  into  insignificance  before  this 
one. 

Verses  19  and  20 — ''And  they"  (the  Gentile  nations) 
"shall  bring  all  your  brethren  for  an  offering  unto  the 
Lord  out  of  all  nations  upon  horses  and  in  chariots  and  in 
litters  and  upon  mules  and  upon  swift  beasts  to  my  holy 
mountain  in  Jerusalem." 

Zech.  X,  6-12 — Final  restoration  of  Israel.  Read  verse 
10  carefully.  Verse  11 — "And  He  shall  pass  through  the 
sea  with  affliction  and  shall  smite  the  waves  in  the  sea  and 
all  the  deeps  of  the  river  shall  dry  up."  (Sea  and  river 
means  people  or  nations  of  people.)  God  is  going  to  af- 
flict the  Gentile  nations  that  hold  possession  of  the  Holy 
Land  when  the  time  of  the  prophecy  is  fulfilled.  The  na- 
ture of  these  afflictions  is  in  the  future,  and  remains  to  be 
seen. 

"And  the  pride  of  Assyria  shall  be  brought  down,  and 
the  sceptre  of  Egypt  shall  depart  away." 

The  Persians  now  inhabit  Assyria  and  the  Sultan  of 
Turkey  controls  the  Holy  Land,  Palestine,  and  Egypt  in 
Africa.  And  when  these  nations  are  destroyed  and  their 
power  taken  away,  then  the  way  will  be  opened  for  God's 
holy  people  to  return  unto  the  Holy  Land. 

Just  how  the  difficulty  between  Bulgaria  and  Turkey 
will  terminate  cannot  at  present  be  determined,  but  Tur- 
key's political  strength  is  failing,  and  the  nation  is  con- 
trolled by  the  powers  of  Europe.  Russia  is  implicated  in 
the  struggle  between  these  eastern  countries,  as  Constan- 
tinople on  the  Bosporus  has  always  been  a  strat'egic  point, 
and  an  outlet  between  Europe  and  Asia  Minor,  and  the 
countries  of  Arabia  and  Egypt  on  the  south.  Russia  for 
several  centuries  has  been  covetous  of  this  point,  but  has 


88  ESCHATOLOGY. 

failed  in  all  attempts  to  get  control  of  it,  other  interested 
European  nations  interfering  to  prevent.  Recently,  how- 
ever, Edward  VII  of  England  has  visited  the  Czar  of  Rus- 
sia and  it  is  rumored  that  they  reached  an  agreement  to 
dismember  Turkey. 

Egypt,  though  in  possession  of  Turkey,  is  virtually  con- 
trolled by  England.  The  Rothschilds,  wealthy  bankers  of 
London  and  France,  who  for  a  number  of  years  have  con- 
trolled the  commercial  interests  of  the  world,  are  Jews,  and 
it  is  said  that  they  hold  a  mortgage  on  Palestine  for  money 
loaned  to  the  Sultan  of  Turkey,  and  they  favor  the  coloniza- 
tion of  the  Jews  in  Palestine.  Sixteen  societies  are  at  work 
in  different  countries  to  accomplish  this  plan.  Recently 
the  Zionists  met  in  New  York,  and  a  measure  was  passed 
toward  establishing  a  colony  in  the  Holy  Land. 

These  important  events  should  be  watched  as  they  de- 
velop into  maturity.  They  lead  to  the  fulfillment  of  the 
prophecy  concerning  God's  holy  people,  Israel. 

Ezek.  XXXVII— "The  Resurrection  of  Dry  Bones. 
Ezekial  was  to  prophesy  on  the  dry  bones,  that  they  might 
live." 

This  symbol  represents  both  Judah  and  Israel — the  whole 
house  of  Israel. 

In  verses  16  and  17,  he  was  to  take  two  sticks.  These 
are  supposed  to  be  the  tablets  of  clay  that  were  used  to 
stamp  cuneiform  characters  upon,  the  manner  of  writing 
used  by  the  early  Chaldeans.  And  he  was  to  join  them, 
that  they  should  be  united  again,  as  one  whole  house  of 
Israel. 

We  remember  that  in  721  B.  C.  the  Ten  Tribes,  Ephraim 
or  Israel,  were  led  into  captivity  by  the  Assyrians,  and  they 
never  after  that  returned,  so  that  they  are  known  as  the 
"ten  lost  tribes  of  Israel." 


SIXTH    CHURCH    AGE.  89 

In  606  B.  C.  Benjamin  and  Judah,  known  as  Judah, 
were  taken  captive  by  Babylon.  The  two  tribes  also  re- 
mained in  captivity  in  Persia.  In  536  B.  C.  Cyrus,  king  of 
'Persia,  issued  a  decree  of  release  and  they  returned  to 
Persia,  when  they  were  again  conquered  in  63  B.  C, 
by  the  Romans.  Then  followed  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem by  Titus,  a  Roman  general,  in  72  A.  D.,  and  the  Jews 
were  led  away  captives,  to  be  scattered  among  the  nations 
of  Europe.  Ezekiel  is  to  re-unite  them,  that  they  may  be- 
come one  whole  house  again,  when  they  shall  return  to  the 
Holy  Land. 

Ezek.  XL,  XLVIII— These  should  be  studied  with  care. 
In  chapter  XL  is  given  the  Vision  of  the  City.  We  must 
not  confuse  the  rebuilding  of  this  city  (which  will  be  Jeru- 
salem, the  Holy  City)  with  the  restoring  of  the  city  at  the 
beginning  of  this,  the  sixth  church  age,  when  the  exodus 
of  the  Jews  out  of  Persia  occurred,  456  B.  C. 

Haggai  II— Rebuilding  of  the  city.  Haggai  gives  a 
glowing  description  of  the  Second  Temple.  But  Ezekiel  is 
describing  the  city  that  is  yet  to  be  built  at  the  end  of  the 
sixth  church  age,  when  the  Jews  shall  be  restored  to  the 
Holy  Land. 

In  chapter  XLI  he  describes  the  temple.  And  in  XLV- 
XLVIII  the  division  of  the  land  again  between  the  twelve 
tribes  which  shall  be  done,  at  this  time  when  the  Holy  Peo- 
ple are  to  be  permanently  established  and  to  remain  unto 
the  end. 

Ezek.  XXXVIII,  XXXIX— He  prophesies  against  Gog 
and  Magog.  He  gives  a  graphic  description  of  them  and 
their  complete  destruction.  The  term  Magog  means  a 
north  country,  and  Gog,  the  ruler  of  a  north  country.  This 
north  country  refers  to  Russia.  Then  he  prophesies  against 
Meshech  and  Tubal  and  the  prince  of  these  countries, 
which    are    supposed    to    be    Germany    and    France,    and 


90  ESCHATOLOGY. 

are  to  be  allies  of  Russia.  They  seem  to  be  on  friendly 
terms  at  present.  But  during  the  struggle  of  Russia  and 
Japan,  Russia  tried  to  secure  a  sum  of  money  to  defray  the 
expenses  of  the  war  from  the  Rothschilds,  bankers  in  Eng- 
land. But  the  Rothschilds  are  Jews,  and  they  refused  to 
make  the  loan  because  at  that  time  Russia  was  severely 
persecuting  the  Russian  Jews.  She  then  applied  to  France 
and  the  loan  was  granted.  After  the  war  ended,  Russia 
secured  a  loan  of  $15,000,000  from  Germany  to  rebuild  her 
navy,  which  had  been  destroyed  by  the  Japanese. 

These  events  are  mentioned  because  they  affect  the  great 
political  movements  which  are  yet  to  transpire  among  the 
nations  of  the  earth. 

Chapter  XXXVIII,  13— "Sheba  and  Dedan  and  the  mer- 
chants of  Tarshish  with  all  the  young  lions  thereof  shall 
say  unto  thee,  Hast  thou  come  to  take  a  spoil,  hast  thou 
gathered  thy  company  to  take  a  prey,  to  carry  away  silver 
and  gold,  to  take  away  cattle  and  goods,  to  take  away  great 
spoil?" 

Sheba,  Dedan,  the  merchants  of  Tarshish,  the  young 
lions,  etc.,  are  to  be  the  allied  powers  in  the  south,  and  Eng- 
land, because  of  her  commercial  relations  in  Egypt  and  th% 
colonies  of  Africa,  and  in  Arabia  and  East  India.  The 
United  States  is  included  because  of  her  interest  in  the 
'Philippine  Islands,  and  perhaps  Japan  and  China. 

And  lastly,  the  whole  house  of  Israel,  the  holy  people, 
shall  in  the  fulfillment  of  time  have  returned  and  estab- 
lished themselves  in  the  Holy  Land.  Then  the  great 
struggle  which  has  been  prophesied  will  occur.  And  from 
the  description  that  Ezekiel  gives  of  this  struggle  between 
the  nations,  will  be  an  event  such  as  the  world  has  never 
before  witnessed.  The  strife  is  to  be  between  Russia  and 
her  allied  forces  of  the  northern  European  countries,  and 
England  and  the  United  States  of  America  and  their  allied 


SIXTH    CHURCH    AGE.  91 

forces  of  the  south  countries.  The  origin  of  this  difficulty 
i?  the  possession  of  the  Holy  Land.  The  world  may  not 
look  for  any  great  international  disturbances  until  that  one 
shall  come. 

Ezekiel  draws  a  fair  picture  of  the  struggle,  the  fearful 
destruction,  etc.  He  says  that  five-sixths  of  the  army  of 
the  north  countries  are  to  be  destroyed  in  battle. 

Zech.  XHI— "A  Fearful  Calamity."  Rev.  XVHI.  And 
two-thirds  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Holy  Land,  the  nations 
of  Israel,  shall  be  destroyed  in  this  great  struggle.  And 
by  this  affliction  God  is  to  refine  the  third  part  of  His  peo- 
ple who  live.  This  is  the  last  great  event,  the  summing 
up  of  the  historical  happenings  of  the  sixth  church  age, 
preparatory  to  the  seventh  age,  or  the  Millenium,  and  tfie 
second  coming  of  Christ  Our  Lord. 

Rev.  XIV,  17-20— "The  angel  with  the  second  sickle." 
This  is  the  time  that  the  second  angel  is  commanded  to 
reap,  the  second  harvest  time  of  the  world. 

(Rev.  XVI,  12-16 — The  Angel  with  the  Sixth  Viae 
OF  Wrath.) 

This  is  a  fitting  emblem  of  this  church  age.  In  verses  13 
and  14  the  three  unclean  spirits,  like  frogs,  are  the  three 
false  religions  that  have  dominated  the  earth  from  the  be- 
ginning of  creation  until  the  present  time,  namely  Pagan- 
ism, Romanism  and  Alohammedenism. 


the  end  of  the  sixth  church  age. 


SEVENTH  CHURCH 
AGE 

LAODICEAO 

MILLENIAL  PERIOD 


Duration,   1,000  Years 


*  Judgment. 


SEVENTH  CHURCH  AGE 

THE  LETTER  TO  THE  SEVENTH  CHURCH  AGE. 

We  will  now  read  the  Message. 

Rev.  Ill,  14-22. 

This  letter  should  be  compared  with  the  Message  to  Sar- 
dis  and  Philadelphia.  In  verse  20  the  Lord  says:  "Behold  I 
stand  at  the  door  and  knock :  if  any  man  know  my  voice,  and 
open  the  door,  I  will  come  into  him,  and  will  sup  with  him 
and  he  with  me." 

In  verses  1-5 — The  Message  to  Sardis. 

In  verses  7-8— The  Message  to  Philadelphia. 

These  passages  need  no  comment. 

THE  SEVENTH    SEAL  IS  OPENED. 

Rev.  VIII,  1 — "And  when  he  had  opened  the  Seventh 
Seal,  there  was  silence  in  Heaven,  about  the  space  of  half 
an  hour." 

THE   SECOND  COMING  OE  CHRIST. 

This  is  the  all  important  event  of  the  Seventh  Church  Age. 
It  is  to  occur  at  the  beginning  of  the  Millennial  Age. 

There  could  never  be  a  more  opportune  time  for  this.  In 
fact,  all  events  of  the  Six  Church  Ages  were  preparatory 
to  those  of  the  Seventh. 

Rev.  XIX;  Zech,  XIV;  Matt.  XXIV,  21-37— The  signs 
of  Christ's  coming. 

I  Thes.  V,  1-10 — Description  of  Christ's  coming. 

I  John,  III,  1-3 — The  manner  of  Christ's  coming. 


96  ESCHATOI.OGY. 

And  this  age  is  the  one  in  which  Judgment,  Justice  and 
Righteousness  shall  sit  upon  thrones,  and  reign  over  the 
nations  of  the  earth.  (Matt.  V,  1-12,  re-reading  verse  5; 
Luke  X,  23-37,  re-reading  verse  27 ;  Is.  XI,  Christ's  'Peace- 
able Kingdom.) 

All  the  nations  of  the  earth  now  will  be  at  peace. 

Rev.  XX,  1,  2 — "And  John  saw  an  angel  come  down  from 
Heaven,  having  the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit  and  a  great 
chain  in  his  hand,  and  laid  hold  on  the  Dragon,  the  Devil, 
and  bound  him  a  thousand  years." 

The  angel  with  the  great  chain  represents  the  religious 
authority  that  shall  have  so  modified  the  moral  forces  of 
the  earth,  so  that  the  evil  influences  of  the  Devil  will  be  cast 
into  the  bottomless  pit.  He  will  be  overcome  and  those 
who  favor  civic,  social  and  spiritual  righteousness  will  sit  on 
thrones  and  judge  the  nations  of  the  earth. 

Verse  3 — "And  cast  the  Dragon,  the  Devil,  the  Old 
Serpent  into  the  bottomless  pit,  and  shut  him  up  and  set  a 
seal  upon  him.  That  he  might  deceive  the  nation  no  more 
until  the  thousand  years  had  expired." 

But  at  the  end  of  the  Seventh  Church  Age,  "he  is  to  be 
loosed  a  little  season." 

Rev.  X,  1-7— An  Angel  with  the  Book. 

THE  SOUND  OF  THE  SEVENTH  TRUMPET. 

Rev.  XI,  15-19. 

This  needs  no  comment. 

THE  FIRST  RESURRECTION. 

Rev.  XX,  A — "And  I  saw  thrones  and  they  that  sat  upon 
them;  and  I  saw  the  souls  of  them  that  were  beheaded  for 
the  witness  of  Jesus,  and  for  the  word  of  God,  and  which 
had  not  worshipped  the  beast,  neither  his  image,  nor  had 
received  his  mark  upon  their  foreheads  or  in  their  hands; 
and  they  lived  and  reigned  with  Christ  a  thousand  years." 


THE  SEVENTH  CHURCH   AGE.  97 

Verse  5 — "But  the  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  again  until 
the  thousand  years  were  finished. 

"This  is  the  first  resurrection." 

The  thrones  signifies  authority,  power  and  justice,  "Anc-' 
they  that  sat  upon  them,"  those  who  are  righteous  shall 
govern  and  judge  the  people  of  this  age.  "And  it  is  they 
who  are  to  reign  with  Christ  during  the  thousand  years." 

It  is  the  righteous  who  have  lived  in  all  the  six  ages 
prior  to  the  Seventh  Age,  who  were  truly  followers  of  Our 
Lord  and  Master  Jesus  Christ.  "Who  had  not  worshipped 
the  beast,  nor  his  image,  nor  received  his  mark  in  their 
foreheads,"  etc.  These  are  the  qualifications  of  those  that 
shall  have  part  in  the  First  Resurrection. 

Verse  5 — "The  rest  of  the  dead  are  not  to  be  raised  in 
the  First  Resurrection,  that  is,  the  wicked  of  all  the  six 
church  ages  prior  to  the  seventh  "until  the  thousand  years 
are  finished." 

In  verse  6  John  says  in  great  exultation,  "Blessed  is  he 
that  hath  part  in  the  First  Resurrection,  for  on  such  the 
second  death  will  have  no  power."  This  means  that  those 
who  are  righteous  and  have  part  in  the  First  Resurrection 
at  this  time  will  receive  judgment,  and  they  will  not  again 
appear  before  God  in  the  final  judgment,  when  the  wicked, 
who  were  not  raised  in  the  First  Resurrection  and  those 
who  are  of  this  period  will  appear  in  judgment  before  God 
at  the  end  of  the  Millennium,  or  Seventh  Church  Age. 

It  is  the  righteous,  then,  who  are  raised  in  the  First  Resur- 
rection, and  the  righteous  who  are  of  this  age  that  are  to 
reign  with  our  Lord  "until  the  thousand  years  are  finished." 

THE   MANNER  OF  THE  RESURRECTION. 

Job  XIX,  25-27— Job's  belief  of  the  Resurrection. 
Gen.  V,  21-24 — Enoch  translated.  Notice  that  Enoch  was 
translated  in   the   First  Church  Age  or  Ephesus.     He   is 


98  ESCHATOI^OGY. 

a  witness  for  the  Anteldiltivian  Age,  General  Epistle  of  Jude 
14,  15. 

Deut.  XXXIV,  1-6 — Death  of  Moses.  This  is  mentioned 
incidentally.  "For  God  buried  Moses,  and  no  man  knoweth 
his  burying  place,  not  even  until  this  day." 

Matt.  XVII,  1-13— "But  on  the  Mount  of  Transfigura- 
tion in  the  days  of  Christ,  just  before  his  crucifixion,  Christ 
went  into  a  high  mountain.  Peter,  James  and  John  were 
with  him."  Moses  and  Elias  were  present  and  talked  with 
Him,  perhaps  concerning  the  manner  of  His  death  and  res- 
urrection. 

II  Kings  II,  1-12 — Elijah  translated.  To  this  important 
event  that  should  be  made  known  to  the  world  after  the 
death  of  Christ  we  have  six  witnesses.  Three  witnesses  for 
Zion,  or  the  Law  Dispensation,  Enoch,  Elijah  and  Moses, 
and  three  for  the  Gospel  dispensation,  Peter,  James  and 
John. 

Under  the  Jewish  law  it  required  three  witnesses  to 
establish  a  fact  of  a  thing  that  might  be  in  controversy  or  in 
doubt.  So  to  establish  the  fact  of  the  Resurrection,  its  pur- 
pose and  what  it  should  be,  we  have  the  Law  Dispensation 
and  the  Gospel  Dispensation  represented,  by  three  wit- 
nesses each. 

HOW  THE  DEAD  ARE  RAISED. 

John  XI,  1-46 — Lazarus  raised  from  death.  In  verses 
21-27  the  Lord  explains  to  Martha  the  nature  of  the  resur- 
rection. 

Luke  XXIV — Christ's  resurrection.  Reading  the  chapter 
will  be  sufficient  comment. 

I  Cor.  XV — The  manner  of  Christ's  Resurrection.  Paul 
very  clearly  set  forth  the  nature  of  the  resurrection.  Re- 
read verses  51-57.     Paul  sheweth  a  mystery. 


THE  SEVENTH  CHURCH  AGE.  99 

THE  NECESSITY  OF  THE  MILLENIUM. 

Matt.  XXVIII,  19-20— "The  great  commission  to  the 
church  was  to  "go  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  all  nations," 
etc.  And  this  mission  had  been  carried  on  by  the  Bride,  the 
Church.    But  the  work  was  not  yet  a  complete  one. 

Mark  XVI,  14-20 — A  greater  commission  is  now  given, 
a  more  complete  work  is  to  be  done.  The  Gospel  is  now 
to  be  preached  to  every  creature,  so  that  all  who  are  of  the 
Seventh  Church  Age  may  know  Christ,  may  learn  Him  in 
the  full  knowledge  and  power  of  His  redeeming  grace. 

Rev.  XX,  7-10 — "Satan  is  loosed  a  short  season."  Verse 
7 — "And  when  the  thousand  years  is  expired,  Satan  shall 
be  loosed  out  of  his  prison."  Notice  how  this  is  to  occur 
at  the  end  of  the  Millennial  Age. 

The  condition  of  some  having  become  luke-warm  or  in- 
different toward  the  cause  of  the  Master,  and  this  is  to  be 
a  test  of  their  faith  in  Christ,  a  trial  to  see  who  are  worthy 
of  Him,  and  preparatory  to  the  final  judgment  that  is  now 
soon  to  transpire. 

Verse  8 — "And  he  shall  go  out  to  deceive  the  nations  of 
the  earth — Gog  and  Magog — and  gather  them  together  to 
do  battle." 

Ezek.  XXXVIII,  XXXIX— Read  these  understandingly. 
We  must  not  be  confused  by  the  event  in  verse  9,  the  siege 
of  the  "Beloved  City"  by  Gog  and  Magog.  For  this  event 
is  occurring  at  the  end  of  the  Laodicean  or  Seventh  Church 
Age,  while  the  other  event,  similar  indeed,  transpired  at  the 
end  of  the  Philadelphian  or  Sixth  Church  Age.  Still  we 
believe  that  it  refers  to  the  same  remote  countries  in  north- 
ern Europe.  Magog,  Russia,  then  Meshech  and  Tubal,  in 
the  prophecy  of  Ezekiel  concerning  them  at  the  end  of  the 
Sixth  Church  Age.  Nearly  the  same  statement  is  made 
and  the  same  countries  are  implied.  But  one  event  transpires 
at  the  end  of  the  Philadelphian  Age  and  the  other  is  to  trans- 


100  ESCHATOI.OGY. 

pire  a  thousand  years  later,  at  the  end  of  the  Seventh  Church 
Age  or  the  Millennium. 

Rev.  XX,  11 — "And  John  saw  a  great  white  throne,  and 
Him  who  sat  upon  it,  from  whose  face  the  earth  and  the 
heaven  fled  away ;  and  there  was  found  no  place  for  them." 

Notice  the  phraseology  of  this  verse.  The  difiference  is 
seen  at  a  glance.  This  speaks  of  only  one  throne — a  Great 
White  Throne,  and  this  event  is  at  the  Final  Judgment,  at 
the  end  of  the  Seventh  Church  Age. 

Verse  A — The  word  thrones  is  the  plural  form,  hence  there 
are  more  than  one  throne.  There  is  then  more  than  one 
occupying  the  thrones.  This  transpires  at  the  beginning 
of  the  Seventh  Church  Age.  Those  who  are  in  righteous 
authority  are  the  ones  who  shall  sit  upon  the  thrones,  of 
which  there  will  be  many. 

But  in  verse  11,  there  is  only  one  throne.  "And  Him  that 
sat  upon  it."  This  is  a  single  person,  and  has  reference  to 
God  himself. 

Verse  12 — "John  saw  all  the  dead  (note  this  expression) 
both  small  and  great,  stand  before  God."  Remember  that 
the  wicked  dead  of  all  the  first  six  church  ages  who  were 
not  raised  in  the  first  resurrection,  (verses  5  and  6)  they  are 
now,  at  the  expiration  of  the  seventh  church  age,  to  ap- 
pear in  judgment,  before  God.  With  them  will  appear,  also, 
both  the  righteous  and  the  wicked  who  had  lived  during 
the  Seventh  Church  Age. 

"And  the  books  were  opened."     (Rev.  V.  VI.) 

There  were  seven  books,  a  book  for  each  of  the  seven 
church  ages  that  had  passed. 

The  books  were  the  seven  ages,  containing  the  important 
historical  events  as  they  transpired. 

"And  another  book  was  opened,"  which  is  the  Book  of 
Life.  In  this  is  the  summing  up  of  all  the  seven  books  of 
the  seven  ages.    The  Book  of  Life  contains  only  the  names 


rut  SEVENTH  CHURCH  AGE.  101 

of  the  righteous,  who  are  sealed,  or  have  been  redeemed  in 
the  blood  of  Christ,  during  all  the  seven  church  ages. 

And  the  Book  of  Life  is  our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus 
Christ. 

Verse  13 — "And  the  sea  gave  up  the  dead  which  were 
in  it;  and  death  and  hell  (the  grave)  delivered  the  wicked 
dead  that  were  in  them;  and  they  were  judged,  every  man 
according  to  their  works." 

This  reference  includes  all  of  the  wicked  dead  of  all  the 
seven  church  ages,  who  shall  all,  both  small  and  great,  stand 
before  God  in  the  final  judgment. 

Verses  14  and  15 — "And  Death  and  Hell  were  cast  into 
the  Lake  of  Fire.  And  whosoever  was  not  found  written 
in  the  Book  of  Life  was  cast  into  the  Lake  of  Fire." 

"And  this  is  the  Second  Death.''  Notice  how  graphic- 
ally this  important  scene  is  pictured  by  the  Revelator,  who 
was  led  to  see  it  all  as  it  transpired,  and  to  give  it  as  it  was 
shown  to  him,  to  the  world.  This  record  constitutes  the 
Book  of  Revelation — a  most  wonderful  book. 

Rev.  XXII,  6-21— The  character  of  the  wicked. 

II  Peter  II. 

Rev.  XXI,  5-8. 

Rev.  XVI,  17-21— The  Seventh  Vial  of  Wrath. 

And  now  we  have  reached  the  end — the  consummation  of 
all  that  has  transpired  in  all  the  Seven  Church  Ages. 


END   OE  THE   SEVEN    CHURCH    AGES. 


FINALE 


The  events  mentioned  in  chapter  XXI,  1-7,  9-27,  and  in 
XXII,  1-6  of  Revelation,  are  distinctly  apart  from  any  of  the 
historical  events  that  were  contained  in  the  Seven  Church 
Ages. 

So  we  will  consider  these  separately,  and  will  take  them 
up  as  a  Finale  for  the  reason  that  they  give  us  an  insight 
into  the  events  that  are  to  transpire  after  the  seven  ages 
have  ended. 

We  will  first  give  attention  to  the  twenty-first  chapter. 

Rev.  XXI,  5 ;  1-3— The  order  of  the  verses  is  transposed 
so  that  we  may  get  a  clearer  understanding  of  the  event  now 
under  consideration. 

Verse  5 — "And  He  that  sat  upon  the  throne  said,  Behold 
I  make  all  things  new."  This  has  reference  to  God  and  His 
supreme  authority." 

Verse  1 — "And  I  saw  a  new  Heaven  and  a  new  earth,  for 
the  first  Heaven  and  the  first  earth  had  passed  away;  and 
there  was  no  more  sea." 

All  things  are  made  new.  This  is  a  controverted  point 
in  scripture,  some  Bible  students  believing  that  the  earth 
is  not  to  be  consumed  by  fire  or  be  completely  annihilated, 
but  the  old  earth  is  to  be  transformed,  and  this  transforma- 
tion will  give  it  the  appearance  of  a  new  earth. 

Those  who  are  inclined  to  the  belief  in  the  burning  up  or 
utter  destruction  of  the  earth  refer  to  the  statement  made 
by  Peter.     (II  Peter  III,  10-13.) 

Verse  10 — "But  the  day  of  the  Lord  will  come  as  a  thief 
in  the  night,  in  the  which  the  Heaven  shall  pass  away  with 


104  ESCHATOLOGY. 

a  great  noise,  and  the  elements  will  melt  with  fervent  heat, 
the  earth  also  and  the  works  therein  shall  be  burned  up." 

At  first  glance  this  statement,  we  must  confess,  seems 
to  indicate  a  complete  annihilation  of  the  earth.  But  let  us 
analyze  it. 

Peter  is  using  a  figure  of  speech  when  he  refers  to  the 
"fire  that  is  to  consume."  In  our  language,  the  element 
fire  conveys  the  strongest  terms  of  the  indignation  of  God's 
Divine  Wrath  against  all  sin.  We  believe  that  Peter  uses 
this  term  to  describe  the  destruction,  not  of  the  earth,  but 
of  the  wickedness  that  abounds  in  the  earth — it  is  the  man- 
ner of  God's  dealing  with  the  ungodly,  the  wicked,  etc. 

Read  verse  1-7 — The  fifth  verse  says,  "For  this  they  will- 
ingly are  ignorant  of,  that  by  the  word  of  God  the  heavens 
were  of  old,  and  the  earth  standing  out  of  the  water." 

Verse  6 — "Whereby  the  world  that  then  was,  being  over- 
flowed with  water,  perished." 

Verse  7 — "But  the  heavens  and  the  earth  which  are  now, 
by  the  same  word  are  kept  in  store,  reserved  unto  fire  against 
the  day  of  judgment  and  perdition  of  ungodly  men." 

Compare  the  wording  of  verses  6  and  7,  and  see  if  they 
do  not  have  similar  meaning. 

In  the  sixth  verse  Peter  refers  to  the  flood.  He  says,  "The 
world  being  overflowed  with  water  perished,"  the  earth  was 
not  annihilated  by  water,  but  the  wicked  of  the  First  Church 
Age  were  destroyed  by  the  Deluge."     (Gen.  VI.) 

II  Peter  II,  7 — "The  earth  by  the  same  word  (or  power) 
is  kept  in  store,  reserved  unto  fire."  He  is  now  speaking  of 
the  future,  "against  the  day  of  judgment  and  perdition  of 
ungodly  men."  It  is  to  be  the  zvickcd  and  ungodly  who  are 
to  be  consumed  by  the  fire  of  God's  wrath  in  the  Day  of 
Judgment. 

II  Peter  II. 

Rev.  XXI,  8. 


FINALE.  105 

Also  it  has  been  demonstrated  beyond  doubt  by  the  science 
of  biology  and  by  chemical  processes,  that  no  substance, 
whether  solid  or  gaseous,  can  be  destroyed.  Its  form  may 
be  changed,  but  the  elements  of  which  it  is  composed  re- 
main intact. 

By  this  knowledge  we  learn  the  impossibility  of  total  an- 
nihilation. The  earth,  then,  can  not  be  utterly  destroyed. 
The  term  when  so  used  is  misapplied.  It  is  only  a  figure  of 
speech,  and  is  used  to  indicate  the  utter  destruction  of  all 
sin  by  God's  consuming  wrath.  And  this  truly  is  to  be  God's 
means  in  transforming  the  old  earth. 

Rev.  XXI,  2— "And  John  saw  the  Holy  City,  New  Jeru- 
salem, coming  down  from  God  out  of  Heaven  prepared  as  a 
bride  adorned  for  her  husband."     (Rev.  XIX.) 

This  has  reference  to  the  church,  to  those  who  have 
been  redeemed  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  (Christ),  the  right- 
eous who  now  alone  shall  inherit  the  new  earth.  The  wicked 
with  all  evil  and  all  manner  of  unrighteousness  are  eradi- 
cated from  oiif  the  earth. 

With  these  conditions  so  changed,  the  earth  will  indeed 
appear  as  though  it  were  created  anew. 

This  is  the  transformation  that  is  to  be  wrought. 

Verse  3 — "And  I  heard  a  voice  out  of  Heaven  saying, 
Behold  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  He  will  dwell 
with  them,  and  they  shall  be  His  people  and  God  himself 
shall  be  with  them,  and  be  their  God." 

The  interpretation  of  this  verse  would  seem  to  be  that  the 
inhabitants  of  the  New  Earth  will  be  men.  "Behold,  the 
tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men."  This  tabernacle  has  refer- 
ence to  holiness  of  heart  and  living.  That  will  characterize 
the  occupants  of  the  New  Earth.  Men  will  know  God  and 
will  be  obedient  to  His  will. 

John  XIV,  1-3 — Christ  comforteth  His  disciples. 

In  verse  1  Christ  says,  "Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled ; 
ye  believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me." 


106  ESCHATOLOGY. 

This  occasion  was  just  before  His  crucifixion,  and  the  dis- 
ciples were  sad  and  heavy-hearted,  troubled  at  the  thought 
of  having  to  part  with  the  Lord.  Christ  comforts  His  dis- 
ciples and  continues  to  say,  in  verse  2,  "In  my  Father's  house 
are  many  mansions ;  if  it  were  not  so  I  would  have  told  you." 

The  word  "mansions"  is  plural — more  than  one  mansion  is 
referred  to.  The  idea  that  He  refers  to  buildings  or  man- 
sions such  as  we  occupy  for  homes,  is  unworthy  of  even  a 
moment's  consideration. 

Then  the  statement  must  imply  some  other  thought. 

We  believe  it  has  reference  to  the  occupancy  of  the  stars, 
as  we  sometimes  express  it,  the  planetary  systems  of  the 
worlds.  This  follows  out  the  plural  significance  of  the 
word  mansions,  as  there  are  system  after  system  of  plane- 
tary worlds.  "In  my  Father's  house"  implies  the  Heavens — 
all  space  everywhere.  God  is  omnipresent — the  whole 
Heavens  are  filled  with  planetary  systems,  or  systems  of 
worlds — "many  mansions." 

By  the  use  of  the  telescope  and  by  other  investigations  of 
astronomy  we  learn  that  there  are  one  billion,  one  hundred 
and  seventy  million  planets  or  worlds;  these  are  mansions 
in  God's  House  in  the  Heavens,  And  perhaps  these  are  only 
a  few,  comparatively  speaking,  of  the  mansions  that  the 
heavens  contain,  or  of  the  inhabitable  planets  of  the  universe. 
We  have  eight  planets  in  our  solar  system,  and  Jupiter,  the 
sixth  planet  from  the  sun,  is  said  to  be  fourteen  times  as 
large  as  our  earth,  the  mansion  we  occupy  in  our  Father's 
House. 

There  are  myriads  of  fixed  stars,  called  suns,  the  one 
nearest  us  being  Centauri,  which  gives  four  times  as  much 
light  as  our  sun.  Another,  Vega,  gives  forty  times  as  much 
light;  Sirius  fifty  times,  and  Arcturus  200  times  as  much 
as  our  sun.  These  are  the  four  fixed  stars  visible  to  the  eye, 
but  by  means  of  the  the  telescope  we  can  see  eighty  millions 
of  them. 


FINALE.  107 

And  we  believe  this  is  the  meaning  of  the  Master  when 
He  said,  "In  my  Father's  house  are  many  mansions." 

In  verse  3  He  says :  "I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you." 
Notice  He  uses  the  singular  form,  "a  place" — only  one 
mansion  in  the  statement  to  which  He  refers.  And  this  one 
is  not  now  ready  for  occupancy.  He  says,  "I  go  to  prepare," 
implying  that  the  place  is  to  be  ready  in  the  future — is  being 
prepared  now.  The  Master  means  to  say,  "I  go  to  prepare 
a  place"  (our  earth)  for  occupancy,  and  our  earth  is  now 
undergoing  the  preparation  to  fit  it  for  the  habitation  of  the 
righteous,  as  "a  mansion  in  the  skies." 

In  verse  3  the  Master  continues:  "I  will  come  again  and 
receive  you  unto  myself  that  where  I  am  there  ye  may  be 
also."  This  refers  to  His  second  coming,  and  in  our  study 
of  this  lesson  we  see  the  "place"  now  ready  to  be  the  eternal 
abode  of  the  righteous. 

Rev.  XXI,  1 — "And  I  saw  a  New  Heaven  and  a  New 
Earth." 

This  is  a  mansion  in  God's  House,  an  eternal  dwelling 
place  for  the  righteous. 

THE  HOLY  JERUSALEM. 

Rev.  XXI,  10-21— The  Great  City,  the  Holy  Jerusalem. 

John's  description  of  the  Great  City,  the  Holy  Jerusalem, 
does  not  need  any  comment. 

If  the  New  Earth  is  to  be  occupied  by  human  inhabitants, 
the  preparation  for  the  material  interests  must  be  carried  on 
as  well  as  for  the  moral  and  spiritual  interests,  and  God  has 
made  just  such  preparation  as  is  required  by  the  occupants 
of  the  New  Earth,  for  their  good  and  happiness. 

We  believe  the  Holy  City  Jerusalem  is  to  be  the  seat  of 
government  of  all  the  nations  that  will  inhabit  the  New 
Earth. 

Verse  22 — "And  I  saw  no  temple  therein ;  for  the  Lord 
God  Almighty  and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it."    John  is 


108  ESCHATOLCXiY. 

here  referring  to  the  spiritual  interest  of  the  city.  There  will 
be  no  such  temple  as  we  had  during  the  former  seven  church 
ages,  for  all  will  be  holiness  and  righteousness  unto  the 
Lord,  The  power  of  holiness  which  is  of  God  and  the  Lamb 
(Christ)  shall  reign  supreme  among  men. 

Verse  23 — ''And  the  city  had  no  need  of  the  Sun,"  which 
has  reference  to  the  Gospel  Dispensation  during  the  Sixth 
and  Seventh  Church  Ages.  "Neither  the  moon  to  shine  in 
it."  This  refers  to  the  Law  Dispensation  during  the  Fourth 
and  Fifth  Church  Ages.  The  New  Earth  does  not  require 
these  agencies,  for  they  would  be  inferior  to  complete  holi- 
ness as  it  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  which  is  to  characterize 
the  inhabitants  of  the  New  Earth. 

Rev.  XXI,  5 — "Behold,  I  make  all  things  new,  saith  the 
Lord." 

Rev.  XXI,  23— "For  the  glory  of  the  Lord  did  lighten  it 
and  the  Lamb  (Christ)  is  the  light  thereof." 

Read  verses  24-27. 

Verse  2^1 — "And  the  nations  of  them  which  are  saved 
shall  walk  in  the  light  of  it,  for  the  glory  of  God  did  lighten 
it,  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  do  bring  their  glory  and  honor 
unto  it." 

This  means  those  who  have  the  authority  to  rule  and 
govern  the  New  Earth. 

THE  RIVER  AND  THE  TREE  OE   ElEE. 

Rev.  XXII,  1-5. 

Verse  1 — "And  he  shewed  me  a  pure  River  of  Water  of 
Life,  clear  as  crystal,  proceeding  from  the  throne  of  God." 

This  statement,  again,  is  figurative  language.  Water  has 
always  been  used  as  a  symbol  of  purity,  clean,  white,  clear, 
because  of  its  cleansing  qualities.  "The  River  of  Water" 
represents  purity,  holiness,  and  Godliness,  as  it  is  in  Christ 
our  Lord,  and  to  be  sure,  this  Pure  River,  clear  as  crystal, 
proceeds  from  the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb.     God's 


FINALS.  109 

throne,  or  seat  of  righteous  power  and  justice,  is  in  Heaven. 
"The  Lamb"  represents  Christ,  and  through  Christ  our  Lord 
the  purity  of  hoHness  and  GodHness  shall  flow  out  from  the 
throne  of  God  in  Heaven  through  Christ  our  Lord,  to  bless 
the  nations  or  inhabitants  of  the  New  Earth. 

As  to  the  forms  of  water  here  referred  to,  fountains, 
rivers,  lakes,  seas,  etc.,  these  all,  we  believe,  will  continue  to 
have  their  uses  for  the  inhabitants  of  the  New  Earth  just 
as  they  have  had  in  the  past. 

Verse  1  has  reference  to  the  purity,  holiness  and  godli- 
ness which  characterize  "the  Lamb,"  Christ.  The  elements 
of  purity  in  His  life  are  to  flow  through  Christ  from  God  in 
Heaven  in  all  of  their  purity,  to  bless  the  inhabitants  of  the 
New  Earth. 

Verse  2— "In  the  midst  of  the  street  of  it,  and  on  either 
side  of  the  River,  there  was  the  Tree  of  Life,  which  bare 
twelve  manners  of  fruits  and  yielded  her  fruits  every  month, 
and  the  leaves  of  the  tree  were  for  the  healing  of  the  na- 
tions." 

Like  the  first  verse,  the  second  represents  Christ  our 
Lord.  It  was  through  the  purifying  elements  in  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb  (Christ)  that  the  righteous  of  the  earth  were 
healed  or  redeemed  of  all  their  iniquities.  "And  were  washed 
and  made  clean  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb."  And  it  is 
through  Christ,  the  "Tree  of  Life,"  through  His  saving 
power,  that  the  elements  of  purity  shall  continue  to  grow 
forever  to  bless  the  righteous  and  to  be  a  safeguard  to 
the  inhabitants  of  the  New  Earth.  We  believe  also  that 
there  will  be  trees  growing  then  as  now,  and  also  all  vege- 
tables will  contiiuie  to  grow.  Their  chemical  elements  and 
medicinal  properties  will  remain  the  same  as  they  now  are, 
and  their  office  in  sustaining  life  will  be  the- same  as  at 
present.  In  the  proper  use  of  them  God  will  continue, 
through  Christ,  the  "Tree  of  Life,"  to  heal,  to  preserve,  to 
use  as  a  protection  from  all  manner  of  evil.     These  are  all 


110  ESCHATOUXiY. 

insured  to  the  righteous,  and  they  will  continue  through 
Christ,  the  "Tree  of  Life,"  to  be  a  healing  or  blessing  unto 
the  nations  of  the  New  Earth, 

In  verse  2  "the  Tree  of  Life"  has  direct  reference  to  the 
healing  efficacy  of  the  elements  of  purity  as  they  are  in 
Christ.  And  through  Him  this  purity  of  life,  as  it  emanates 
from  the  throne  of  God  in  Heaven,  shall  reach  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  New  Earth, 

GARDEN  OF  EDEN  RESTORED, 

In  connection  with  these  verses  read  Gen.  II,  8-17,  "the 
Garden  of  Bden,"  and  Gen.  Ill,  1-6,  the  Fall  of  Man, 

In  II,  read  again  verses  8,  9  and  15-17;  and  in  III  read 
again  4-19,  22-24,  noting  particularly  the  last  three  verses. 
In  these  "the  Tree  of  Life'  is  mentioned  as  being  in  the 
midst  of  the  garden.  After  the  fall  of  man,  God  drove  him 
from  the  Garden  of  Eden.  "And  at  the  east  of  the  Garden 
of  Eden  God  has  a  cherubim,  an  angel  with  a  flaming 
sword,  to  guard  and  keep  the  Tree  of  Life." 

The  "Tree  of  Life"  represents  Christ.  He  was,  then,  in 
the  midst  of  the  garden.  And  Adam  feasted  upon  the  fruits 
of  His  pure  spiritual  life,  and  it  continued  to  keep  the  life 
of  man  pure  and  holy,  until  he  partook  of  the  forbidden 
fruit,  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil. 

In  this  act  he  disobeyed  God's  command  or  law,  and  by 
this  disobedience  he  fell.  Then  he  was  driven  from  the 
Garden  of  Eden,  which  means  that  his  life  of  spiritual 
purity,  his  communion  and  fellowship  with  God  ceased.  He 
was  separated  from  God.  He  was  removed  and  his  access 
to  the  "Tree  of  Life,"  which  is  Christ,  was  not  granted  him, 
and  in  his  moral  and  spiritual  life  he  died. 

Ever  since  the  fall  of  man  the  world  of  mankind  has  com- 
mitted all  manner  of  sin,  and  this  has  produced  his  physical 
decay  and  death.  The  cherubim  with  the  flaming  sword 
who  is  to  guard  the  "Tree  of  Life,"  signifies  the  impossibil- 


FINALE.  Ill 

ity  of  man's  having  access  to  the  fruits  of  it  unless  he  accepts 
the  atoning  grace  of  Christ,  "the  Tree  of  Life,"  who  was 
made  a  sacrifice  to  redeem  mankind  to  his  original  moral  and 
spiritual  purity  and  Godliness.  These  characteristics  can 
be  obtained  only  through  the  efficacy  of  the  blood  of 
Christ,  or  the  "Tree  of  Life."  "His  redeeming  blood  is  a 
propitiation  for  all  sin  and  unrighteousness."  And  this  will 
be  the  necessary  qualifications  of  all  those  who  are  to  inherit 
eternal  life,  and  dwell  in  righteousness  upon  the  New  Earth. 

The  world  after  going  through  seven  millenniums  of  all 
manner  of  wickedness  is  to  be  redeemed  or  restored  to  the 
original  position  of  mankind  before  he  fell.  We  can  now 
thoroughly  understand  God's  purpose,  the  secret  of  His 
power,  the  wisdom  displayed  in  His  plan  for  the  redemption 
or  restoration  of  all  those  who  will  avail  themselves  of  it. 

And  that  will  again  be  the  "Tree  of  Life,"  and  the  re- 
deemed of  the  New  Earth  are  to  have  access  to  "the  Tree  of 
Life"  throughout  all  eternity. 

Rev.  XXL  2— The  Tree  of  Life. 

Then  read  verses  3-5  and  21 — The  Grace  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  be  with  vou  all.    Amen. 


THE    END. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 

This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


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